Right to Breathe
by TWISTEDART
Summary: Dacey fanfiction. Slightly AU but also takes place after the finale. Just an idea to throw out there.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue: Right to Breathe**

Lacey bit her lip as she felt her stomach churn. She ran to the bathroom emptying the contents of her stomach for the third time that night. She leaned back against the bathtub feeling the cold porcelain on the bottom of her back. She figured that Danny's fingerprints on the murder weapon sealed his fate. However, she couldn't help but worry about him. It was all over the news. Danny Desai was on the run.

She glanced at her phone reading the text to Danny from herself.

**We NEED to talk**

She had sent the text after Phoebe left and before Tess Masterson called Judy to warn her about Danny's current predicament. Lacey was sure it was more to warn her than her mother. Since hearing the news of the murder weapon, Lacey had been in the bathroom vomiting with what she and her mother assumed was a nervous stomach.

"Are you okay, Sweetie?" Judy called through the bathroom door. "Can I help you?"

Lacey shook her head no despite her mother not being able to see her. She closed her eyes trying to keep at bay the onslaught of tears.

"Lacey?" Judy questioned again.

"I'm fine, Mom." Lacey finally spoke realizing her mother would remain by the door if she didn't speak up. "It is a lot to take in."

"Lacey, come out here." Judy begged. "I know that it reminds you of five years ago."

_No. It is worse. I love him much more._

Lacey stood up then made her way out of the bathroom. She pushed past her mother and plopped on the bed.

"He's going to be sent away forever this time." Lacey said with a slight shake to her voice.

"Yes." Judy grabbed her daughter into a tight embrace. "You don't have to worry about Danny Desai ever again when they catch him. You will be free from him."

Lacey broke down in harsh sobs. Her mother assumed it was an out break of her relief that Danny was going up for good. Instead, Lacey's heart was breaking at the fact that Danny was being taken out of her life again.

"Shhh.." Judy rubbed Lacey's back. "It is over soon. Regina's murderer will be put in prison for life. It is almost over, Baby girl."

Lacey's phone buzzed due to an incoming text. Before Lacey could retrieve it, Judy picked it up. Judy's eyes widened at the text sent.

**I promise I didn't do this. Please believe me. **

"What in the world is he thinking? Danny Desai has the nerve texting you after killing your best friend." Judy stood up as she held tightly to Lacey's phone. "I'm going to call Kyle Masterson." Judy started towards the door but paused when another text came in.

**Lace, I need you to know. In case I never see you again. I love you.**

Judy furrowed her eyebrows as she glanced at the text. She thrust the phone towards Lacey. "What does he mean by this?" She shook her head. "This boy is deranged. You don't even fool with him."

Lacey's eyes widened at the words. _He loves me._ She stared up at her mother not knowing what to say.

"I'm taking this phone to Kyle. I wonder if there is a way to trace where he is texting from?" Judy crossed her arms angrily.

Without hestitating, Lacey grabbed the phone and tossed it against the wall. It shattered to pieces.

"Lacey Porter!" Judy yelled in shock at her daughter's action. "What the ..."

"Danny has no business texting me." Lacey stated trying to hide the truth of her actions. She didn't want her mother to know she wanted to protect him. She needed to protect him.

"Fine." Judy patted Lacey's shoulder. "Try to get some sleep."

Lacey nodded in agreement as she watched her mother leave. She didn't bother to shower. Instead, she jerked off her clothes and placed on an old t-shirt that Danny had left at her house only days before. She closed her eyes saying a silent prayer that Danny was okay.

The hours of the night passed slowly but Lacey finally fell asleep due to exhaustion. She didn't open her eyes again until the dawn light hit her face. She slowly made her way out of bed as she heard her mother knocking on her door.

"Yeah." Lacey half whispered due to the grogginess in her voice. "What is it?"

Judy smiled broadly. "They found Danny. He was held up in some type fort or something. They sent out dogs for him last night and he was found early this morning." Judy sighed. "I told you it would be over soon. I'm making breakfast. You look terrible. Get a shower then come down to eat."

Lacey shut the door behind her as she felt her throat tighten with a sob. She wearily made her way to her bathroom. Lacey knocked over her bottle of shampoo spilling part of the contents on the tile floor. She breathed out as she bent over. Once again, Lacey could feel nausea creeping up on her. She quickly propped open the toilet only to feel her body wretch with dry heaves.

"Uggh." Lacey clasped the side of the toilet hoping her stomach would settle. She then glanced over at the small shelf at the side of her toilet. There sat an unopened box of tampons. Lacey could feel her body jerk due to her falling slightly forward. She once again leaned over the toilet allowing the yellow bile from her stomach to empty into the toilet bowl.

After several minutes of dry heaves and stinging bile surfacing, Lacey made her way into the shower. Her whole body ached as she tried to scrub her skin. She finally slunk down into the tub as she allowed the beads of water to hit her body. Drawing her knees to her chest, Lacey wrapped her arms around her legs and sobbed._ This can't be happening. Not now._

* * *

**Author's Note: I am still writing on OOD. I had access to a laptop today and had this idea in my head for a while now. I DO NOT ever want Twisted to go with this story line. However, I saw a Dacey prompt and thought it would make for a good story. This may be emotional, it may not. I am not really planning anything. This story will take place as I go to help me with my writer's block on OOD. (Not really writer's block as much as wanting to get some things situated in that story to make sense. It is a lot bigger task than I planned on that one. ) This may have already been done but I haven't read one. By the way, it does take place immediately after finale but IT is FAR from Canon to be honest. It is nothing like my Run...Away. So if you like this, drop me a line. I will update weekly if I am able to do so. However, Out of Darkness takes precedence to this fic. Thanks.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter One: Bacon Reveals Secrets**

Lacey didn't care how she looked today. She usually fixed her hair with a straightener and put on makeup. However, this morning, she opted for plain jeans and a sweat shirt stating _Green Grove High_ on the front. Her hair was in a pony tail with her natural curls tightly woven together. Clara jutted up one eyebrow as she looked at her older sister.

"Skankin' it today." Clara stated as she poured herself a glass of orange juice. "You dressed better after Regina's death than when her killer was caught."

Lacey's eye twitched as she gave her little sister a condescending look. "Eat your food."

Judy sighed as she placed a plate of bacon in the middle of the table. "Both of you try to get along. Here. Eat."

The smell of bacon usually caused Lacey's mouth to water. To Lacey, bacon was the champion food for breakfast. However, when the smell hit her nostrils, Lacey's stomach flipped. Lacey grabbed her mouth and ran as fast as she could to the garbage can. Once again, her stomach was empty. However, the bile still came up from her throat to her nostrils. Her nose burnt with the acidic liquid causing Lacey to groan.

"Dear Lord, Lacey." Judy made her way to her daughter. She touched Lacey's forehead. "You don't have a fever but you are soaked in sweat. Go back to bed. Why didn't you tell me you were sick?"

"I..I " Lacey closed her eyes as nausea hit her again. She ran upstairs to her bathroom. She needed to get away from the smell.

Clara shrugged as she grabbed up some bacon. She stuffed it in her mouth. "More for me."

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Judy rolled her eyes at her youngest daughter. "Nothing gets in the way of your eating. Your sister just puked in the garbage right in front of you."

Clara grinned before stuffing more bacon in her mouth. Once again, she talked with a full mouth. "I'm not sick."

"I'm going to check on your sister." Judy grinned at Clara. "Make sure you have your gymnastic bag packed. We are going to that new gymnastic teacher today. Half the class is coming too."

"Yeah. They don't want Mitch touching them knowing he touched my dad's wanker." Clara took a large drink of orange juice.

"Clara Porter!" Judy sighed out. "STOP talking like that."

Clara laughed as she watched her mother walk away in a huff. Unlike Lacey, Clara liked to pull on her parents' chains. She loved them both dearly but what fun it was to make them both squirm. Lacey was the perfect, pretty, pristine daughter who never liked to call attention to herself despite all she had endured. Clara liked to mix it up to keep her parents' on their toes. After all, they needed some fun in their lives. Lacey's life was too dramatic to deal with. Clara was the one that had little drama. Her dad's coming out wasn't even that big a deal to her like it was to Lacey. Clara's life was spent hoping for her parent's to divorce. Their fussing was miserable to endure. Once they divorced, Clara saw how happy her dad seemed. Her mother would find someone new. She was gorgeous. So Clara was fine with the family dynamic. She didn't even mind the fact that her dad was gay. She just hated it was with her gymnastics coach. No way was Judy going to let her continue in that class. Luckily for Clara, most of the other parents sided with Judy and were pulling their daughters out as well. They all knew that Mitch was gay. It was not that big of a deal. However, the fact that Mitch had an ongoing affair with one of his student's parents was not going over too well. Therefore, Clara's class would still have most of her friends in it. Clara was the center of attention just as she liked it. Lacey had enough drama to last a lifetime as far as Clara was concerned. Maybe with Danny behind bars, Lacey's life could get back to a little less drama.

After Judy and Clara left, Lacey managed to get out of bed. She made her way down to the kitchen to drink a glass of milk and eat a piece of toast. She swallowed hoping it would stay down. She then grabbed her keys from the kitchen counter. Lacey knew one thing for sure. She had to tell Chief Masterson about what Phoebe told her.

The News Media was outside of the police station. Mayor Rollins was answering questions about the Crane murder. Gloria Crane stood beside him smiling with satisfaction. Lacey couldn't really blame her. She was sure that Mrs. Crane felt her daughter's murderer was finally going to be brought to justice.

"Can I help you?" Eddie stated as he saw Lacey enter in the station.

"I wanted to talk to Chief Masterson, please." Lacey smiled weakly.

"Sure." Eddie opened the door to Kyle's office. "Boss, Lacey Porter is here to talk to you."

"Send her in." Kyle ran his hand under his chin. He was sure Lacey was there to ask about Danny. He was shocked when Lacey entered looking disheveled. "Lacey, can I help you?"

Lacey shut the door to Kyle's office before plopping down in the chair in front of his desk. She sighed out. "Phoebe Lewis told me something last night you may find interesting."

"Oh." Kyle leaned back as he studied the teen girl. She looked warn out and sick. He could only imagine having her best friend killed then her boyfriend being taken in as the murderer was playing on the girl's nerves. He thought of Jo and how the littlest things sent her spiraling into depression. Yet, Lacey seemed to be functioning. "What is this concerning?"

"Regina's murder." Lacey bit her lip. "At least, I think it might."

Lacey recanted the story to Kyle. She bit her lip again as she waited for his reaction.

"Lacey, I'll be honest. The mayor, prosecutor, and most of the town already want Danny's head on a platter over this. But I am going to check this out anyway. But keep it between us." Kyle stood up as Lacey stood. "If Danny is being set up, we don't want whoever is doing this to know I'm checking into it. Okay?"

Lacey nodded. She grabbed the doorknob before asking. "Can I see him? Can I see Danny?"

"Karen is with him right now. I'll have to ask her permission for you to see him." Kyle took in a deep breath. "I am supposed to ask your mother due to you being underage."

"Please, Mr. Masterson." Lacey blinked as tears threatened her eyes. She couldn't believe how her emotions were getting the best of her. She had always managed to keep a wall built to hide behind. "I'll be honest, Mom doesn't even know I've been seeing Danny. She wouldn't understand. I need to see him. I want to make sure he knows ..." Lacey sniffed cursing herself inwardly for not keeping her emotions in tact. "...how I feel about him. I know you don't understand. But if he is sent away, I'll never get to see him again. Danny needs to know some things."

Kyle blew out air. He shook his head as he opened the door to lead Lacey out. "If Karen Desai says it is fine, I'll come get you."

Back inside the holding room, Danny's head was in his hands. He kept pushing his hair back nervously before resting his elbows on his knees.

Karen sat beside him rubbing up and down his back. "I've got money for lawyers like before. I...we will fight this."

"Mother, I didn't do this." Danny still held his hands to his face. He mumbled between his fingers. "I need to tell you that I love you. And that I .." Danny swallowed nervously. "I'm sorry for not being the greatest son."

"Oh, Danny, you're my son and I love you." Karen wiped a tear away as she leaned her head on Danny's shoulder.

"Karen, I hate to interrupt." Cheif Masterson stated as he opened the door to the holding room. He peered in at the mother and son. It disturbed him to see Karen looking so hurt. This time around, Kyle believed Danny was innocent. "But Lacey Porter wants your permission to see Danny."

Danny's head popped up as he stared at his mother. Karen hesitated until Danny begged. "Please, Mom. Lacey and I..well, we're more complicated now. I really need to see her."

"Complicated?" Karen raised an eyebrow as she studied her son's expression. She could tell Danny was desperately wanting to see Lacey. "Fine. I need to make some phone calls anyway."

Kyle signaled for Lacey to come his way. She licked her lips as she stepped into the room with Danny.

Danny's eyes lit up as he let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. Danny walked up to Lacey. He entwined his finger in one of her curls.

His eyes glistened as he stated to her truthfully. "I like your curls. You look beautiful."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2: About that Text**

Lacey grinned slightly revealing the dimples in her cheeks. Kyle shut the door allowing the teens some alone time. Danny slid his hand down Lacey's arm and entwined their fingers.

"Is this okay?" Danny squeezed her fingers slightly. "I know it is over between us, Lace. But I just need to touch you for a second. Okay?"

Lacey nodded as she looked at their entwined fingers. "Why?"

"Huh?" Danny stated as he pulled Lacey to sit in a close by chair. He let loose of her hand to sit in the chair adjacent her. "Why what? I didn't kill her."

"No. Not that." Lacey sighed out as she placed her hands on the table that sat between them. Danny mimicked her action by placing his hands on the table as well. "I believe you. Phoebe came by tonight and told me something. I told Chief Masterson and it may help you. But Chief Masterson wants to keep it on the down low so no one knows he is continuing the investigation." Lacey went on to tell Danny the story.

"That sounds good for my case." Danny sighed out. "After yesterday at the diner, I thought you never wanted to see me again. So about that text..."

"Let's not talk about that." Lacey wasn't ready to hear Danny's declaration of love in person. Nor was she ready to hear that he was desperate when he said he loved her. That he didn't mean it. Besides, too much was going on to hear that at the moment. "I wanted to say I'm sorry about going off script. But I could tell Sarita had doubts and Archie needed to believe I was telling the truth."

"Oh. Are you and Archie back together?" Danny swallowed nervously. It hurt to think of losing what he had with her. It felt so good to be in Lacey's arms.

"Not at all." Lacey stated quickly. "I wanted Archie to trust me. That is why I said that. He did trust me too."

"What do you mean?" Danny slid down slightly in his seat.

"Archie admitted that he and Scott poisoned Cole. I told everyone when Cole asked Archie." Lacey grinned again relieved she could give Danny some good news for once. "To make a long story short, Archie and the gang still hate me. I guess finding out there is a murder weapon with your fingerprints on it will only make that worse."

"I'm sorry, Lacey." Danny drew in a deep breath. "I didn't meant for this all to happen. I see now why you were so afraid of telling anyone."

"It really isn't your fault, Danny." Lacey stared over at him. She then slid her hand to cup over his. "What I meant by my question of why is.." Lacey paused as she squeezed Danny's hand. "Why did you choose to make me more than a friend and not Jo?"

Danny glanced up from staring at Lacey's hand on his. "I don't know. I mean we were always more alike than we were with Jo. You and I had this different dynamic since day one. Not to mention.." Danny giggled a little before he winked. "You got your breasts first."

"Danny!" Lacey laughed at that. She released his hand as she shook her head. "I didn't think you noticed. We were only ten when I started to get breasts. I was so embarrassed."

"Yeah, I noticed." Danny slid back into his seat to stare at Lacey. "I noticed a lot about you, Lacey. I noticed a lot about me when I was around you too. You were my girlfriend despite Jo not knowing then too. Remember?"

"Yes." Lacey sighed contentedly. It was good talking about times before trauma hit their young lives. "You kissed me in the fort for our first kiss. I remember I hit you."

"Punched me was more like it." Danny chuckled. "Dad asked me where I got that black eye. I told him I was practicing soccer. No way was I going to tell him I was punched because I kissed you."

"That would have been hilarious. The way your dad was, you would have been teased for days." Lacey took in a deep breath. "I think at times we did pick at Jo. I mean we loved her like the friend she was. However, we did seem to team up on her."

"Yeah. But I wanted alone time with you, Lace." Danny chuckled as he leaned up to place his elbows on the table. "I was experiencing my first crush or first love. Whatever it was called. The fact is that I wasn't sure what I was feeling. I was eleven and thought the sun rose and set with you." Danny blinked before setting his gaze on Lacey. "I still do."

"Danny, you have enough to worry about. Adding us to that list of things isn't something we should do." Lacey bit her lip as she always did. "I came to tell you I believe in you. I'm not ready for anything else."

"Lacey, I wouldn't want anything else right now. I may go to prison for the rest of my life. I wouldn't want you getting all into US when there may never be a chance for that." Danny blinked again.

Lacey watched his eyelashes flutter again and again. Sometimes she felt like he was sending her secret codes with his eyes.

"Remember that time you decided to sneak into Jo's room when Jo and I were having a sleepover." Lacey giggled as she changed the subject back to innocent times. "We let you stay to watch one movie. Jo fell asleep."

"Yeah." Danny licked his lips slightly before adding. "I even remember the movie was _Ghost_. I made fun of the pottery scene because I said Mrs. Masterson and Mr. Masterson better not do that with a pottery wheel."

Lacey jutted up her eyebrows. "That was also our second kiss. This time I kissed you."

"You punched me again and you started it." Danny shook his head allowing his loose hair to swing around his face.

"Well, you tried to stick your tongue in my mouth. I was eleven. Ewww." Lacey matched Danny's laughter with her own. "You were always an aggressive kisser. Now, I like it." She flirted.

Danny smirked as he thought of her words. "We had some good times."

"We did." Lacey agreed.

"Lace, you being my first time...not just in kissing..." Danny swallowed as he spoke. "It was very special and I'm glad it was you. I may never be with anyone again in my lifetime. Thanks for allowing me that privilege of being your first. I'm glad you were my first too."

Lacey squirmed slightly remembering that night. It was after she asked him to spend five more minutes with her. That five more minutes turned into over two more hours. Lacey allowed the memory to wash over her.

_"'Fine but only if I can get you for five more minutes tonight." Lacey rolled Danny so that she was on top of him._

_Danny's hand ran down her back then cupped her backside. "Oh, I think I can con my mom into some type excuse."_

_"I'm sure you can think of something." Lacey giggled before leaning to capture Danny's lips with her own. _

_Danny slid his hand up the back of Lacey's skirt. He decided to risk getting a little frisky with Lacey. After all, she was the one that asked for five more minutes. He may as well make the best of the five minutes. His hand squeezed her back side before slipping his hand inside of the edge of her panties to feel her bare skin. _

_"Lace..." Danny moaned as he took Lacey's hand with his free hand and placed it on the outside of his pants."...can you touch me?"_

_Lacey groaned in pleasure as she rubbed up and down Danny's pants. "Danny." Was all she could breathe out as she touched him. _

_Danny slid his hand back up the front of Lacey's body. He pushed up Lacey's shirt cupping the front of her bra before sliding his hand behind Lacey's back. He awkwardly tried to snap open her bra with one hand._

_"Crap." Danny murmured. "I've never done this before." He pulled back to stare into Lacey's eyes. "I think I just ruined the mood."_

_Lacey sat up pulling back her hair over her shoulder. She was straddling Danny's hips which caused her to feel exactly how much he wanted her. She bit her lip before opening her mouth slightly. Danny thought that was the sexiest thing he ever saw until she crossed her arms over herself. She then pulled her sweater from her body. Lacey looked at Danny shyly. She then reached behind her popping the bra latch. Her breathing escalated as she allowed her bra to fall from her body._

_She stared down at Danny as he stared up at her body. He had to force his eyes to move from her nude upper body back to her eyes. Danny pulled his own shirt off. Then he placed his hands in Lacey's hair to pull her to him. As their skin pressed together, they kissed again more heatedly. _

_It wasn't as romantic as Lacey imagined it would be as both teens clumsily pulled off clothing. They both trembled with nerves and desire as they tried to act like they knew what they were doing. Neither did. It was new to them both._

_"I'm a virgin." Lacey bit her lip after Danny had rolled her to be beneath him._

_Danny smirked as he whispered back. "Me too. Obviously." _

_His voice came out teasingly as he nipped at Lacey's neck. The foreplay was as if both were experts at this. The other stuff was beginning to get a little awkward, which showed their naivety with sexual endeavors. Danny's kisses elicited more in Lacey than she could imagine. Danny was having a difficult time maintaining control due to being new at the whole situation. It wasn't until the kissing of lips and necks did they both realize the magnitude of being nude. They stared at one another taking in each other's body. Both teens experiencing something for the first time. _

_"Are you sure?" Danny asked as he settled between Lacey's open thighs._

_Lacey nodded in silence as she closed her eyes anticipating their joining as lovers. It was much more painful than she had imagined. Danny tried his best to give her pleasure but could tell Lacey was wincing at the pain._

_"I'll stop." Danny pulled back seeing a tear run down Lacey's cheek. "I'm so sorry, Lace."_

_"No." Lacey wrapped her legs around Danny's hips. "Please don't stop. Regina warned me it would hurt the first time. I think I'm thinking too hard about it. It's my fault for not being ready."_

_Danny smiled as he kissed Lacey slowly and passionately. He then slowly took her body with his again. Lacey relaxed as she began to enjoy the kissing and stopped concentrating on the pain. The reality of giving Danny herself caused a slight giggle to vibrate from her lips. For the first time in a long time, Lacey was happy._

Chief Masterson opened the door interrupting the teens, who were sitting staring at one another. "Time is up, Lacey."

Lacey stood up quickly. She wondered how long she and Danny had spent just staring at one another as she remembered their first time together. She smiled at Danny weakly before walking towards the door. Then she turned back around and ran back to Danny. She threw her arms around his neck and whispered in Danny's ear.

"About that text..." Her breath teased Danny's ear. "Ditto."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter Three: Lemons Don't Always Make Lemonade**_

The fall leaves crunched beneath her suede boots as Lacey made her way across McNally Park. She hesitated long enough to see a squirrel retrieve an acorn before scurrying up a nearby tree. That small acorn seemed like such a treasure to the grayish brown animal. Lacey's mind flitted to wondering how many more acorns were hidden away in the hollowed out living space in the tree.

Lacey flipped back her raven locks of hair to better see things around her. She had opted to dress up for no particular reason besides the fact that she had cried all night. Thus, she needed something to concentrate on the following morning instead of the reason for her tears.

Her cerise colored sweater hugged her upper torso nicely as well as accentuated her black legging pants. The dyed suede boots touched the bottom of her knees that led down to her three inch high heel. The boots caused her already long legs to look longer. If any one saw her, they would swear that she was a page ripped out of a fashion magazine.

The rumbling in her stomach reminded her she hadn't eaten yet. However, she feared taking in food as it seemed to come right back up. She didn't want her mother hearing her vomiting on another morning. Truth be told, Lacey didn't want to feel the nausea that came with food. Eating was her favorite pastime at one time. Now, she loathed the thought of biting into any thing.

She hadn't seen Danny in four days. Charges had been pressed against him for Regina's murder. Lacey hadn't been back to school having convinced her mother she had a stomach bug. Judy wanted to take Lacey to the doctor's office but she refused. Her words to her mother were stated matter of fact. She would get over the virus.

Lacey sat down on a nearby bench staring out over the wooded area. It was here that Danny had tried in vain to have a first date. Lacey closed her eyes remembering how he wanted nothing more but to be hers for that night. She realized all he wanted was normalcy. She had failed to give that to him. Now, it may be too late for Danny Desai to ever have a normal life. Guilt plagued her mind as she thought of being the one person that told him that he could find happiness. She realized she had ripped that happiness away only days after. When she ripped the happiness away from Danny, she also ripped it away from herself.

Her mind raced with memories of his touches and his kisses. She thought of the pureness in each moment they spent with one another. Then Lacey thought of her ignorance in those situations as well. They never used protection. It was never brought up not once. Although, Lacey had told Danny the moment after their first sexual encounter that she was on birth control. That was true. She felt like she was safe. After all, Danny Desai and she were both virgins.

Lacey glanced down at her purse where the plastic stick lay hidden. She picked up the piece of plastic grasping it tightly. Lacey walked over to the small bridge that crossed over McNally Lake. She closed her eyes as she held her breath. Lacey pulled back her arm before harshly throwing the white plastic into the murky water. After all, wasn't that water where all evidence of things needed hidden were to go?

She turned to go not really understanding why she chose to throw the offending object away there. Her mind raced to almost being caught buying that detestable thing.

_There were so many choices. All she wanted was to put her fears to rest. That's all. But nothing ever came easy for Lacey. Life had to keep throwing lemons at her. One can only make so much lemonade until they are sick of it. She closed her eyes tightly trying to stop her heart from palpitating too quickly. She cursed her nerves as well as her emotions. Was she really going to start to cry in public? NO. She refused to cry in private. There was no way strangers would see her tears._

_"Did Socio knock you up?" The familiar voice caused Lacey to cringe. _

_She looked back over her shoulder to see Archie, Sarita, Janna, and Scott all standing behind her. Lacey quickly grabbed up an object to deflect them. One would call it luck that condoms sat right beside of pregnancy tests. Or one would call it bad luck. It was difficult to tell which it was in this case._

_"What?" Lacey stood up straight holding a box of condoms. "What did you say, Archie?"_

_"Oh. I wasn't aware they allowed congeal visits at Green Grove Police Department." Archie teased causing the others to follow suit. All but Sarita who had her patent scowl on her face._

_"Danny may make bail." Lacey straightened her shoulders realizing that she had grabbed condoms. What was she thinking? Anything but the obvious._

_"Seriously?" Sarita snapped. "Are you willing to make that mistake twice with that killer?"_

_Lacey bit her lip before trying desperately to redeem the situation. She held her breath before stating with a straight face. "Oh, you're right, Sarita." Lacey placed the condoms back on the shelf. She swallowed before picking up another box. "Danny needs extra large. Those were way too small."_

_The four gave Lacey a deplorable look before walking away from her. Lacey closed her eyes before grabbing the nearest pregnancy test. She marched to the counter after making sure that the snarky bunch were no longer in the drug store. She realized that the older clerk never checked I.D. They were probably in there to purchase alcohol. _

_Lacey placed the items on the counter as she tried to avoid eye contact. The pudgy female with greasy hair chortled slightly._

_"Well, we don't take returns of these items."_

_"What?" Lacey frowned at the woman._

_"If your pregnant, you can't return the condoms." She shrugged as she popped her gum. "Just sayin'. "_

_After paying, Lacey grabbed up her the plastic bag and marched away quickly. _

Life was always throwing lemons at her. She was too exhausted to make lemonade this time around.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4: School Daze**

The sound of her locker shutting caused a jolt of pain to shoot through her aching head. The last time she had a headache like this was after she had drank for the first time. Regina had dared her to. Of course, she did trying to get Regina to shut up about it. Lacey didn't care for alcohol after that. However, she would consume a minimum to keep up appearances. She rarely got drunk but she had to admit to doing so twice. The first time was when Regina dared her to try alcohol. The second time was when she had received a letter from Danny on her fifteenth birthday. He wrote her often. She wrote back a few letters at first. Her father and mother put a stop to that when they found out. But it seemed Danny was persistent on writing her. Getting his cute little card with a kitten in a pink lace princess dress and tiara made Lacey smile despite not wanting to hear from Danny ever. That was also the night that she agreed to being Archie Yate's girlfriend. He had asked her more than once and Lacey had refused. But trying to pretend to be normal meant boyfriends that were not Danny Desai.

Lacey had hid her sickness that morning. She wasn't ready for her mother to know about the situation she was in. Lacey turned to the only person she could count on. The only person she had counted on since Danny had committed the horrendous crime five years ago. She turned to herself. No one else seemed to want to help her. She didn't need them when she was eleven. She didn't need them now. Despite the fact that she did need someone. Lacey was in denial.

It seemed whispers followed Lacey where ever she went in school. She wasn't sure if it was due to Danny and her video still being murmured about or the fact she was wearing an old sweat outfit. Once again, she didn't feel up to dressing as her usual self.

The day dragged on as Lacey walked around in a semi-comatose state. Even Phoebe tried to pull Lacey out of her daze. When Lacey passed the group of ex-friends, Sarita was going to go say something snarky to her but when she saw Lacey's glossed over eyes, she thought she'd give Lacey a break. Sarita was once Lacey's best friend. She knew when Lacey wasn't being herself. However, Sarita wondered if she ever really knew the girl. Because lately, Lacey seemed like a different person.

Scott nodded towards Lacey as she passed. "What is with that outfit? Did she gain fifty pounds in a day. That is two sizes too big."

Sarita turned her head sideways as she stared at her once friend. "She's probably depressed that Danny is going to prison. I swear the girl has lost her mind because of him."

"That is what sociopaths do." Archie added. "They manipulate until they get what they want. He wanted Lacey from day one. He didn't care what that meant for her as long as he was happy."

Jo heard their remarks but chose to ignore them. They didn't know that their buddy Tyler had did exactly that to her. After their sexual encounter, Tyler hadn't even spoke to Jo. He ignored the few texts that she had sent him. It wasn't like he was a big love loss. However, he was her first _everything. _She only wished he'd at least recognize her or at least pretend she was alive.

Jo jerked from her thoughts of Tyler to stare at Lacey. She really did seem to be taking Danny's incarceration hard. That wasn't expected after Lacey's blow up at him earlier. However, Lacey had to have feelings for Danny by the way she was acting. If Jo didn't know Lacey better, she would swear the girl was about to break down in tears.

Lacey leaned against her locker. Her back pressed against the cold metal as she glanced through her notes. Lacey raked back a few loose strands of hair from her face that had fallen from her pony tail. She drew in her bottom lip as she tried to concentrate on the history exam that was going to happen in less than an hour. Her concentration was broke when she heard two girls beside her chatting.

"I hear that they want to make a deal with Danny Desai." Came a voice from an unknown girl. "The death sentence will be taken off the table if he pleads guilty. They said he would get 25 to life. Dad said that was a good deal for him. If he has good behavior, he'd be up for parole when he is forty-one."

Lacey could feel her stomach churn again. She never thought about New York's death penalty not coming into play. That was a good note even a slight one. She turned to the girl.

"New York doesn't have the death penalty." Lacey snarled angrily. "Your dad has no idea what he's talking about. Danny hasn't even been to pre-trial to see if he has enough evidence to go on with trial yet. There would be no deals made until he gets through the grand jury."

"No one asked you." The girl's friend stepped up. "Lacey Porter, you are no longer queen in this place. You're just a girl that had sex with her best friend's murderer. You couldn't even keep your legs crossed long enough to grieve her death."

Lacey's hands clinched into fists. She breathed in deeply before she swung without thinking. The girl that had spoken was on the floor holding her nose. Blood poured from beneath her hands as the girl wailed in pain. Jo stood back as she stared at Lacey. A crowd was starting to form.

Jo could see Lacey's dumbfound look. She marched up and grabbed Lacey's arm. "Come on."

With those words, she pulled Lacey away from the crowd gathering. Lacey didn't speak as she kept staring at her balled up fists. Jo pushed her to sit on a nearby step outside of the school.

"You need to chill, Lacey." Jo state as she plopped down beside her. "You're letting this Danny thing get to you."

"He could go away forever this time, Jo." Lacey's eyes misted over as she subconsciously touched her abdomen. "What do we do without him?"

"Lacey, why did you decide to be his girlfriend?" Jo pushed back her hair. "I know why I fell for him. He brought me out of my shell that I was hiding in. But you, well, you were the top of the pyramid. Why risk that?"

Lacey bit her lips still fighting back threatening tears. She hated the emotional state she had been in lately.

"Have you ever held your breath for a really long time? Like...well...have you almost drowned? I almost drowned once. It was when I was eight at that pool party. Phillip Crabtree pushed me in the deep end and I couldn't swim.. Danny and you both jumped in to help me."

"Yeah. I remember." Jo leaned back placing her elbows on the steps behind her. "Danny busted his lip for doing that to you."

"He did." Lacey's lip trembled as she continued to explain how she felt with Danny. "When you're drowning, the whole time you're swimming up, you can feel the pain in your lungs needing the air to fill them. When you break the water's surface and take that first inhaling of air, you can feel your lungs loosen. You know you're going be alright and you're going to breathe again." Lacey glanced down at her hand lying on her lower stomach. "For five years, I felt like I was holding my breathe. Like I was drowning and didn't know how to break the water's surface. When Danny and I kissed for the first time after he came back to Green Grove, I could breathe again. Danny lets me breathe."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 5: The Earth Still Spins**

Looking around the courtroom, Danny's eyes searched for Lacey and Jo. His weak smile alerted Jo that he saw her. Then he drew in a deep breath of air noticing that Lacey wasn't there. Danny held his breath as the judge entered the courtroom. The judge glared at Danny before clearing his throat. He waited for the prosecutor to speak.

"We are asking for Mr. Desai to be reprimanded without bail." The prosecutor began. "The state is asking this because we feel Danny Desai is a flight risk."

"Your honor, Danny is a sixteen year old boy. He didn't leave town when he ran. He was not arrested yet. Danny Desai had just had confrontations with his best friend and his ex-girlfriend. He was merely at a place that he went to when he needed to contemplate his life. There is no proof that Danny Desai was running from the law."

"This isn't his first murder. We know that..." The prosecutor stated.

"Objection, your honor. Danny isn't on trial yet. His juvenile record can not be presented at this time. Those records are sealed until a court order states other wise. This is a bail hearing." Danny's lawyer spoke up.

"That it is." The judge rubbed his bearded chin. "Danny Desai will be held without bail. Next case."

* * *

Lacey had heard that Danny was denied bail. She couldn't go to his hearing in fear she'd break down. Her emotions were on overload. When she heard about the bail denial, she left her home in a hurry. She had no idea what she was doing, where she was going, or how she was feeling.

She ended up pulling into the Desai driveway. Lacey drew in a breath of cold air causing her lungs to ache due to the chill that enveloped them. Lacey closed her eyes saying a silent prayer that Karen was home. Her knock was light as she bit her lip still wondering what she was doing there.

Karen Desai opened the door ready to pounce on the press. After all, they had been bombarding her with questions since Danny was denied bail. Lacey could tell that Karen had been crying as well as drinking.

"Lacey." Karen's voice broke as she stared at the young girl. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"I...I.." Lacey choked up feeling her tears causing her throat to tickle. She cleared her throat as she drew in more air. She felt like her lungs were going to explode as she held her breath. She then exhaled sharply. "I just want to.." A single tear then another streamed down her cheek. She wanted to kick herself for not holding it together. "I just want to go up to his room. I don't know why. I just.."

Karen tried to stop her own tears at seeing the young girl so distraught. She stepped aside and waved Lacey in. "Go on. Take all the time you want."

Lacey didn't even say thanks to Karen as she practically sprinted past Karen up to Danny's room. Karen watched the girl hurriedly making her way to Danny's room. Karen closed the door leaning her forehead against it.

In the mean time, Lacey threw herself on Danny's bed. She pulled his pillow to her as she took in a large intake of air. She could still smell Danny's scent tease her nostrils. Lacey sobbed into the pillow as she curled into a fetal position on Danny's bed. Her cry was low and guttural. Sobbing echoed off the walls of Danny's room until Lacey only gulped due to the needed air. She hadn't cried that hard since the day she saw Tara's body on the floor.

Strangely, this was so much more frightening to her.

A few hours later, Karen went to check on Lacey. She found the girl sleeping with Danny's pillow hugged tightly to her. Karen couldn't help but smile despite the events of today. The judge was biased. It was obvious. Danny's lawyer was applying for a change of venue due to the bias in Green Grove. The judge's excuse for denying Danny bail was that he was a serial killer and had ran before. What happened to innocent until proven guilty?

"You love him." Karen said to Lacey knowing that the girl would not answer. The revelation made Karen both ache for her son and have joy for him.

Karen pulled a blanket from the corner of the bed and covered the sleeping girl. She sighed before she walked away allowing Lacey to her sleep.

Lacey stirred slightly when the sunlight from Danny's window hit her. Walking to pull the drapes to on Danny's window, Lacey noticed the sound of a bird chirping. She noticed the leaves blowing on the tree outside his window. She heard the wind blowing. She saw the sun begin to set.

Why was life going on when Lacey felt her life was over? Why did the earth still spin?

Lacey curled back up in Danny's bed. She couldn't find it in herself to leave the Desai house. Danny's scent was there. It was the only thing she had of him. Lacey ran her had over her taut abdomen. Well, it wasn't the only thing of Danny she had.

Lacey wearily allowed sleep to take over again. Her dreams consisted of memories of them.

_"I will not name my baby Megatron!" Lacey screamed as she pointed in Danny's face. Danny never pushed her finger from almost touching his nose. He didn't flinch either._

_"I am the daddy. I get to help name the baby." Danny sat down angrily on the old crate. "Tell her, Jo."_

_Jo bit down on her sucker. "I didn't make it. I still don't know."_

_"What are you talking about, Jo?" Lacey folded her arms over her chest as she still stared defiantly at Danny._

_"How many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop." Jo sighed out. "I saw an old commercial on this show called Best of Commercials."_

_"Whatever." Lacey threw her hand up. "Tell dipwad Danny that I am not naming the baby Megatron."_

_Jo rolled her eyes as she looked at Danny. "Mommy said no."_

_Danny stomped his right foot before pouting. "This isn't fair. You two always get to play house before we play soldiers but I never get to name the baby."_

_"Well, I never get to be the mommy or daddy." Jo pouted. "I always have to be your kid."_

_Lacey stared at them both. "First, I get to be mommy because I called it. Secondly, Danny is always daddy because he's the boy. Thirdly, you're shorter than me and look more like a baby."_

_"I'm only shorter because your hair is so big." Jo crossed her arms angrily._

_"Girl, you are not making fun of my hair." Lacey warned with a glare._

_Danny grabbed his stomach as he doubled over laughing. "Jo's in trouble."_

_"Shut up, Danny." Lacey turned to him. "Our baby's name is Johnny."_

_Jo stuck her tongue out at Danny before smiling. _

_Danny shrugged. "It is always Johnny. You like Johnny Depp." Danny started making kissing sounds against his hand. "You want to kiss him. You want to hug him. Lacey and Johnny sitting in a tree. K..I...SS...I...N...G."_

_"Grow up and grow a pair, Danny."Lacey said unsure what the last part even meant. She only knew her mom said that to her dad a lot. __ Lacey picked up the doll from the stroller as she pretended to rock it. "Now go to work so we can buy diapers."_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 6: Do Me a Favor**

"I fold." Eddie rubbed his hand over the back of his neck after laying down his card hand. "You got me again, Danny. What do I owe you now?"

"Five thousand, three hundred and fifty dollars." Danny winked as he sat back folding his arms behind his head.

The police at the station had befriended Danny. Danny had been retained there with the grand jury finding enough evidence against him to go to jury trial. Danny had charmed them all. Even Chief Masterson had began to act fatherly to Danny. It didn't hurt to be good to the kid considering Eddie and Kyle felt he was being framed. They didn't have enough evidence to help him yet. However, both were plugging at the case secretly. They both felt the mayor and this Marilyn Rossi could be involved some way.

Interrupting the game between his officer and Danny, Kyle walked into the holding room with Karen Desai. Karen's eyes were puffy and red. Kyle had his arm around Karen helping her in. Eddie glanced up as well as Danny.

"Mom, what is wrong?" Danny jumped up making his way to his mother.

Karen couldn't speak. She tried desperately for words to form but nothing was coming out but gulps. Kyle escorted Karen over to sit in the chair by the table. Eddie excused himself knowing something was wrong.

"Mother?" Danny sat across from Karen. He took her hand in his. "What is wrong?"

"Oh, Danny." Karen burst into tears. "I don't know how to tell you this."

"What?" Danny glanced up at Kyle for help.

Kyle cleared his throat. "Your father is alive, Danny. He showed up last night alive and well."

"What?" Danny's eyes widened as his throat tightened. "What?"

"He keeps saying he was protecting us." Karen shook her head back and forth. "He's staying at Green Grove Hotel. I don't want that man near me right now. But he wants to see you."

"No." Danny pushed back his chair harshly. He stood up quickly causing the chair to fall backwards."NO!"

"It is up to you, son." Kyle placed his hand on Danny's shoulder. "No one will force you to see him. But he wants to see you."

"NO!" Danny shouted. His voice strained with anger. "He..he.." Danny stammered. "That man didn't want to see me when I needed him in juvie. I don't want to see him now."

"Calm down, Danny." Karen pleaded. "Vikram Desai isn't worthy of our tears."

Danny closed his eyes. His voice cracked. "Can I please see Lacey and Jo? I need to talk to them."

Kyle breathed out. "Jo will come by. Lacey checks on you every day, Danny." Kyle stated with melancholy. "But when Judy found out that Lacey came before, she said that Lacey wasn't granted permission to see you." Kyle stared at Danny stressing his words. "But just so you know, that girl has been by every day to make sure you're okay."

"Please." Danny slumped down on his cot. "I really need to see her. Please."

"I'll talk to Judy." Karen assured him. "I'll convince her to let Lacey see you. In the mean time, I think Jo can visit. Okay?"

Danny nodded his head as he glanced at Kyle and then his mother. "I just need them both so much."

* * *

Jo visited briefly. She tried to help him out as best she could. But it was obvious to her that Danny needed Lacey there. She walked out feeling that Danny was an emotional wreck due to his father being alive and hiding that. She didn't really know what to say but she was sorry for her earlier actions.

"If you still want Lacey, I hope it works out." Jo stood up to leave. "I really do."

Danny blinked as he glanced around the room. "Thanks, Jo. I'm sorry about all this. About how I feel."

"Do me a favor, Danny. Don't lie to me or to yourself. You're not sorry." Jo laughed slightly. "But it's okay. I know for a fact that Lacey feels the same way."

"Really?" Danny looked up at Jo with hopeful eyes.

"Yeah. Really." Jo quirked her mouth slightly. "You're Lacey's breath."

With those words, Jo left.

* * *

It seems that Karen's words to Judy worked. Lacey sat in the front of Karen's car. Karen didn't take chances of Judy refusing to let Lacey see Danny. Therefore, Karen picked up Lacey to take to the station.

"What did you say to my mom to convince her to let me see Danny?" Lacey fidgeted nervously as the two females made it to the police station.

"I reminded her that Danny was behind bars. You were not in danger. My son was still a human despite what all the town thought of him." Karen glanced over at Lacey." I also reminded her you trusted him enough to fall asleep at our home. Thanks for testifying to that in front of the grand jury."

"It didn't help." Lacey bit her lip as she stared out the window. "This whole town thinks Danny is guilty no matter what. Maybe I should have lied and said I was awake with him the whole time."

Karen surprised Lacey by touching her hand. "Danny doesn't want anyone to lie for him. I learned that lesson when I confessed to killing Regina. All he wants is for us to believe in him."

Lacey glanced down at Karen's hand over hers. It was strange that at one time she and Danny had called this same woman 'She Beast'. Karen was strict then as well as had this persona of appearances being of utmost importance. Lacey could see that Karen was now a mother more than anything. This woman loved her son enough to give up her own life for him. How could any man do what Vikram did not only to his son but to the mother of his child?

"I do believe in him." Lacey sighed out.

"I know you do." Karen let loose of Lacey's hand. "That's all he wants. Now let's get you to that police station to see my boy."

* * *

Eddie was standing in the room when Karen and Lacey showed up. Eddie smiled at Lacey as he escorted her to Danny's holding cell. Eddie would gladly spend time with the beautiful Karen Desai while Lacey visited Danny. Karen may be an older woman but she was still easy on the eyes.

"Here is your visitor, Danny." Eddie smiled brightly.

He was glad the kid had some joy in his life. This girl seemed to brighten Danny up at first glimpse.

Danny walked up to Eddie. "Do me a favor and give us some uninterrupted time to talk. Can you promise me that no one will interrupt us? I'll teach you how I'm kicking your *ss in poker."

"Tell you what, don't tell me. I want to figure it out myself." Eddie started to close the door. "But I'll give you all the time you want if you take off what I owe you."

"It is a deal." Danny grinned as Eddie closed the door.

Danny sat in the chair staring up at Lacey. "I wanted to see you so bad. Dad is alive. I'm a mess."

Danny began to talk about his days in there. He asked Lacey about how things were going. He tried to make conversation about anything but the facts of his life.

Lacey peered at Danny trying to think about what she could do to help. She couldn't help to notice Danny's hair flanked around his face. His perfect lips pursed together. He had that look that was between a smirk and a smile. His dark brown irises stared at her with so much longing, it caused Lacey's breath to hitch in her lungs. On a scale of one to ten of beauty, Danny was a hundred. Lacey knew that Danny had this special draw to him that was unexplained. He was both dangerous and enticing. Danny looked both angelic and evil. He was the epitome of perfection in all aspects of his actions and even more so in his handsome features.

His hands lightly pecked on the table reminding her of how those long fingers had enticed her to a pleasure beyond a young girl's imagination. This man..this man was who she loved. This man was who she lusted with a deep routed desire beyond their youthful years. At that moment, Lacey realized that this beautiful male , who sat in the coldness of the holding room was the same male who had given her the child that was in her womb.

She bit her lip as she walked over to him. To Danny's surprise, Lacey sat up on the table in front of him. Her legs opened so that each leg was on the side of Danny's legs. Danny looked up at Lacey sitting on the table above him.

"What are you doing, Lacey?" Danny said as he swallowed nervously.

She licked her lips suggestively as she whispered in a seductive tone.

"Do me a favor, Danny." Lacey slid her tongue over her teeth. "Don't talk."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 7: Silence**

Without hesitation, Lacey pulled off her long boots. Then she ran her feet along the upper thighs of Danny's legs. His body tingled with excitement at the raking of her toes on his county issued scrub pants. The material was thin enough to feel Lacey's toes raking along his leg. Danny held his breath wondering when this dream would end. But when Lacey bit her lip before opening her mouth slightly, Danny knew this wasn't a dream. He reached up to grasp Lacey's hips with his strong hands. He pulled Lacey slowly until her hips were straddling his thighs.

Their foreheads leaned in to one another as panted breaths mingled together. Danny nor Lacey were going to question what was happening. They were allowing it to happen without words to mess up the actions. Danny's arms enveloped Lacey's body pulling her as tightly as he could to him.

Lacey hadn't realized how much she needed an embrace. So much was happening in her life. However, she had to keep the little secret to herself for now. She was still unsure what it meant to her life. Lacey wasn't even sure what was going to happen. Adoption, Abortion, or keeping the baby wasn't even thought about by her. At the time, Danny's future was too much of a hindrance to think of the baby. Danny was in no emotional shape to have a pregnancy thrust upon him at the time. That would be difficult news enough for a sixteen year old boy. A boy that was on trial for murder didn't need more added to his plate.

Lacey buried her face into the crook of Danny's neck. She let out a small whimper as his hand ran up and down her back.

Breaking the silence, Danny asked. "Lace, is something wrong?"

Danny wanted to kick himself for asking. Of course, there was something wrong. He was sitting in a holding cell with her straddling his lap.

"I want you, Danny." Lacey whispered out. It wasn't time for her to dwell on her problems. Danny had too many things that he needed to forget for the moment. Lacey was sure that she knew how to make him forget. If nothing else, she could make him forget momentarily. Perhaps, she could also have a reprieve from her own problems."Can I please touch you?"

Danny wrapped his long fingers in Lacey's hair. He pulled her back from him long enough to allow their lips to crash together. His tongue slid across her upper lip then her lower lip as he relished feeling her lips against his again. He thrust upwardly on instinct. Lacey met his thrust with a twirl of her hips against his.

It surprised Lacey when he slid his hand up her shirt. Lacey gasped for air at the touch of his fingers on her bare skin. His fingers then stealthily unsnapped her bra. Lacey grinned at how good Danny had become at that compared to the first time. However, her grin changed to a moan of pleasure when Danny slid his hand to caress the front side of her body.

The teens took their time pulling clothing away from each other's bodies. It was as if time had slowed down as they kept their pace slow with one another. Both teens appreciating the touches that fingertips made against bare skin. Not long after the touches were enjoyed, kisses pursued the same paths.

Lacey couldn't breathe. Her breath was literally knocked from her body. She felt numb and warm…and alive all in one amalgamation of emotion. She wanted to melt into him. To feel him with her…to be as close as two human beings could possibly be.

Silence still hung thick in the room like a smothering fog lingering over a cold meadow. Yet, the silence was something teens needed to continue their endeavor without halting. Too many obstacles were in their way to think of their actions. Futures were far from certain. All they had was here and now.

Both teens were nude after a torturous stripping of one another. With each article of clothing that hit the floor, inhibitions dissipated. Danny picked Lacey up placing her back on the table. He stared at her with a desire that caused her both elation and fright. She watched as his Adam's apple bobbed slightly when he swallowed. Then she watched the pink tip of his tongue jut out slightly to moisten his lips.

Lacey gasped as Danny leaned to lick her stomach. As his mouth savored the skin on her abdomen, his hands massaged her thighs. Lacey knew that Danny didn't know about his child growing inside of her. Despite that fact, Lacey couldn't help to allow a slight whimper to slip from her lips.

Lacey entangled her fingers in Danny's hair. She pulled him up to stare at him. Danny smirked slightly as he slid back down to sit in his seat. He thought perhaps Lacey wasn't ready for him to take to experiencing new sexual adventures yet. However, the intensity that hit her heart with Danny's lips upon her abdomen caused her to want him at that moment.

She slid to his lap again. This time her body joined his slowly as they melted together. This time their thrusting was of lovers due to the clothing being done away with. This time the silence was being overshadowed by moans and groans of lovers satisfying one another. Danny and Lacey kissed slowly yet their bodies seemed to seethe with each movement of their joining.

It took both their breaths as their pleasure escalated together. They had kissed lips and necks as well as any other body part that could be reached without breaking their joined bodies. Danny pulled back his lips from Lacey's lips when he reached his peek. He buried his face into Lacey's neck as he grunted in pleasure. Lacey closed her eyes as her head slung back when her own pleasure hit her body. She gripped Danny's shoulders causing her fingernails to pierce Danny's skin. He didn't notice the pain. And if he did, it made him feel more alive at her obvious excitement in their lovemaking.

Lacey collapsed against Danny's chest. The sweat of their bodies caused them to stick together. Both could feel the other breathing in heavy pants as they calmed down from their sexual excursion.

Mocha colored skin melded into caramel colored skin as the two lovers sat motionless still joined. Michelangelo's_ David_ would be rivaled by the beauty of the lovers still connected. Both afraid to move from the position they were in. The teen lovers both knew that someone would soon knock on the door to break this moment and reality would take over.

Lacey's head rested on Danny's shoulder and he did the same with his head on her shoulder. Legs entangled in an entwining of limbs. Torsos pressed tightly together as arms weaved around one another like threads in an exotic tapestry. The beads of sweat had began to dry forming shimmers of color like a lily's shadow cascading on water in a painting by Monet. Their figures were sculpted together into a beautiful masterpiece. God's master piece was far above the artistry created by human hands.

Fear accumulated in both their inner beings as they resisted breaking from the silent trance they were in. Like any sculpted object they both knew what it meant to be broken. It was too well known for their young lives. Broken pieces of themselves had been scattered throughout their years by their own hands or hands of others. There was no way to create the artwork back to the former glory that childhood had afforded them. Yet, when they were together, Lacey and Danny suddenly put back the pieces of their hearts, minds, bodies, and souls to form this awe inspiring art. Their canvases became less bare as they filled with colors over that which the brush strokes of life had marred. The touching of skin to skin had created new brushstrokes of vibrancy.

Danny was the first to break the silence with words.

"You're my breath too, Lacey."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 8: Life in a Blur**

Lacey had been walking around as if she were living a dream or in her case, a nightmare. Life was going by so quickly. Life was a blur to her. She had known she was pregnant for two weeks now. Two tortuous weeks had quickly gone by as she kept her secret to herself. No support system, no advice, nothing but herself mauling over any decision she needed to make.

Today was not the day to think about the baby. Although ignoring the facts weren't exactly working out as Lacey's usual walls being up had. The morning sickness was getting worse. She read on the internet that there was a possibility that she could keep it the whole nine months. That is if she was going to keep the baby. But there was also the more common morning sickness stories that morning sickness would go away once her body adjusted to the new hormones.

Lacey bit the tip of her fingernail as she shook her leg back and forth vigorously. Danny's trial had ended. She had sat in the courthouse daily listening to the witnesses, the experts, even herself testifying for or against Danny. The prosecuting attorney did a great job of portraying Danny as the monster most seen him as. However, Danny's lawyer had painted Danny as a sixteen year old boy being framed for something he didn't do.

Danny had only glanced back to see Jo and Lacey. His eyes remained on Lacey longer than anyone even his mother. His mother was his rock. Karen Desai was ever present and ever persistent of her son's innocence. Vikram Desai was gawked at as much as Danny when he showed up at court. Danny didn't even look his way. He ignored Vikram as did Karen. However, Vikram stayed present alerting those around him that he was there to support his child.

Lacey had succeeded in not showing her emotions to any one even Danny. Tears were not to be shed to show her weakness. But for Danny the non shedding of tears was to show her strength. Judy was the one that was perplexed by Lacey insisting on sitting through the trial. Being on Danny's side of the courthouse added to Judy's confusion. She was sure Lacey would support the agenda to send Danny Desai away for life. After all, Regina Crane was Lacey's best friend.

Gloria Crane and Gregory Crane didn't notice who sat on whose side of the courthouse. Their attention held one agenda. They wanted to see Danny punished for taking their only child's life.

Sarita, Scott, and Archie made appearances randomly to glance daunting looks at Lacey. Phoebe showed up to look terrified of having Lacey support Danny. But not one spoke to her about it either way.

"Wouldn't you feel more comfortable over there with your friends?" Judy questioned.

It was the first day that she had actually came to court during Danny's trial. She came to help her daughter cope with the verdict. Her thinking was if Danny was not found guilty, Lacey would crumble. Although Lacey seeing Danny soon slipped Judy's mind, the woman was definitely in denial when it came to her daughter's feelings.

"No. They're not my friends." Lacey's face held a rigid look. "I'm here for Danny."

"Excuse me?" Judy's eyes bugged out. "Seriously, Lacey Porter. Have you lost your mind?"

"Not now, Mom." Lacey closed her eyes then reopened them. "I want him to know I believe in him."

"And do you?" Judy frowned as she watched the court fill with people due to the verdict being back in.

Lacey only nodded her head when she saw Danny entering the courtroom. Lacey gasped matching the gasp from Karen Desai at the sight of Danny. His eye was swollen almost shut and his lip was busted. He had an obvious bruise across his right cheek. His wrists seem to be red and scratched.

The judge slammed his gavel down as the court house murmured at Danny's appearance. Karen had to be pulled down by Tess Masterson when she cried out.

"What did they do to my son?" Anger and concern was evident in Karen's voice.

Danny had to be in county lock up instead of Green Grove Police Department the previous night. It seemed the mayor deemed him being in the local holding cell was causing too much press to gather on the courthouse lawn. Therefore, Danny was sent to county lock up the night before the verdict was released.

The judge stared at Danny before calming the murmuring from the crowd. "Order in the court. Order in the court."

Everyone calmed as they sat down. The judge cleared his throat as he asked. "What happened to you, Mr. Desai?"

Danny stared momentarily at the two police officers who had escorted him into the court room. The same two police officers were responsible for Danny's bruising. Danny didn't realize that police clubs could hurt so bad.

"I fell down." Danny stated as he looked back at the judge.

"Falling down caused all those bruises?" The judge rubbed his chin.

"Yes, your honor." Danny once again glared at the officers. "Obviously, I fell down repeatedly."

The judge could only guess what had happened to the young man. Although the judge found it appalling, he still said nothing.

The court officer handed the judge the verdict. The judge glanced at the verdict before addressing the jury. "Does the jury have a verdict for New York State vs. Danny Desai?"

The jury foreman stood up. "Yes, we do, your honor."

"How do you find on the count of murder in the first degree?"

"We find the defendant guilty?" The jury foreman stated.

An eerie scream echoed through the courtroom. Lacey looked around to find out who had screamed in such horrific pain. She stared at Karen, who was staring at Danny. She looked around as the scream seemed to be continuing. Then she noticed a lot of eyes were on her. It was then that Lacey realized it was she who was screaming.

Judy grabbed around her daughter tightly squeezing her close. Lacey drew in her breath then held it. Her scream had halted. Then she tried to find Danny with her eyes. She needed to see his reaction. The sound of the judge's gavel echoed like a far away train going through a tunnel. The voices of those around her seemed muffled and far away as well.

Lacey knew she was about to faint. However, when her eyes finally found Danny, she became alive again. The judge and police officers were trying to regain order in the court when one officer yelled.

"He has my gun!"

The court room gained order quickly at those words. All eyes, including Lacey's, went to Danny. The teen boy smirked when the sound of guns being pulled surrounded him. Danny held his breath then placed the end of the revolver near his head. If county lock up gave him any indication of what his life would be in prison, he would rather die. Words of the officers taunting him the night before rang in his ears.

The words of the officers taunted Danny as they kicked, hit, and beat him with their police clubs.

_"You're a pretty boy, Desai. I bet you'll be someone's b*&tch before you know it."_

_"Yeah, I wonder if he will bleat like a lamb being slaughtered the first time they take him."_

_"That pretty little girlfriend, who we heard visits you at Green Grove Police Department, won't want damaged goods."_

_"Yeah, she'll hate what they make of you in a place like the penitentiary. Her cute little boyfriend will become a Nancy."_

_"That's alright, Desai. As pretty as that thing is, she'll have another boyfriend before you can even pull up your pants after Bubba has his way with you."_

Danny closed his eyes not wanting to see the fear of what he was about to do in his mother's eyes. He refused to search for Lacey. He hoped Judy had pulled her out of the courthouse at this point.

"Don't do this, Danny?" Officer Eddie held his gun up pointing it at Danny. If there was a way to shoot him without Danny pulling the trigger, Eddie couldn't see it.

"Come on, Danny." Chief Masterson begged. "Let me have the gun."

Danny gripped the gun tighter before whispering. "Please get Lacey out of here. If she's still here, get her out of here."

The next action was to place the revolver's end in his mouth.

"NO!" Karen and Lacey both screamed simultaneously. "Danny, NO!"

Judy tried to pull Lacey away but she jerked free. She tried desperately to make it to Danny. An officer grabbed her causing Lacey to scream.

"I'm not leaving, Danny! Don't make me see this." Lacey's cheeks had a stream of tears racing to her chin. "I love you."

Danny shook his head as he pulled the gun out and laid it against his chest. It was directly over his heart. He cocked the trigger. "Please, Lace. I love you too. But you can do better. You need to go on. I can't be in a place like that. I can't. " A single tear scurried over Danny's lashes. He glanced at Chief Masterson as he begged. "Please get her out of here."

An officer tried to pull Lacey away. "NO." She screamed again. "Let me tell you something, Danny. One thing. Then I'll leave if you still want to kill yourself."

Eddie knew it wasn't protocol. Most officers had already begun to clear the court of people. Only a few officers, Judy, Tess, Jo, Karen, and Vikram, Danny's lawyer, the prosecuting attorney, and judge remained along with Lacey, Eddie and Chief Masterson. Eddie grabbed Lacey's arm freeing her from the police officer's grasp. Eddie marched Lacey towards Danny. He knew the kid would never harm the girl.

She wasn't allowed too close because the situation was too tense. Danny was ready to pull the trigger any moment. However, Lacey didn't care that all would hear her. She only wanted Danny to know. Tears streamed down both her cheeks and Danny's as she stated softly.

"Danny, I'm pregnant."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 9: I just Wanted to Play Soccer**

Danny collapsed to his knees at hearing Lacey's words. _She was pregnant_. He slowly laid the gun in front of him then pushed it away. His eyes stayed fixated on Lacey as he slowly placed his hands behind his head. The people in the courtroom seemed frozen in place due to hearing Lacey's proclamation.

Eddie was the first to respond as he hurriedly grabbed up the gun. That set another officer in motion as he pushed Danny to the courtroom floor. He cuffed Danny's hands behind him before pulling Danny up. Danny's eyes never left Lacey's eyes as he was pulled away from the courtroom.

Once the doors closed behind Danny, Judy grabbed Lacey and spun her around to face her. "Stop this. I know you wanted to save him from himself but don't ruin your reputation for that boy. And how does your being pregnant help Danny?"

Lacey bit her lip as her eyes burned due to the crying of before and the new tears forming. "I am pregnant." Came a low whisper from Lacey's mouth. "And Danny is the father."

Judy's mouth flew open but no words could form. She then angrily pulled Lacey out of the room before anyone could question the teen girl. For the first time, Karen stared over at Vikram. His eyebrow jutted up questioningly. Karen simply shrugged not knowing what was going on.

"Well...ummm...That was news." Jo smiled a fake smile as she glanced at her dad then her mom. "Good thing that Danny only has eyes for Lacey. Huh?"

The grown ups glanced at Jo like she had a third eye. Jo raised her eyebrows slightly before adding in a low voice. "Just saying."

Karen drew in her bottom lip. Somehow with Lacey's revelation, she had stopped crying. "I need to check on Danny. Can I see him before they escort him to prison?" She addressed Kyle.

Kyle nodded. "Danny will be held until his sentencing . Of course you know that can take a while. But not over 35 days before the sentence hearing. I'm positive the judge and prosecution will want him sentenced as soon as possible. Could be next week. I'm not sure where he will be kept whether in county or local.."

"He better be held in Green Grove Police Department." Vikram's demand startled the crowd. "My son being abused while in police custody will be addressed."

Vikram stared at the two officers that had beaten Danny. They glanced at one another when realization that this man was serious.

"He will be." The judge stood up to leave. "In the mean time, you all need to clear the courtroom."

The judge left as did everyone else. In the hallway, Danny's attorney assured the Desais that Danny had very good aspects of appeal.

"The change of venue was denied. I'm sure we can bring up bias in his appeal. Danny being beaten up while in police custody is something I can use for that. I am going to look into some things. There should have been enough reasonable doubt not to convict him. Lacey Porter's testimony alone gave sufficient doubt of Danny being near Regina when she was murdered." The lawyer scratched his head. "I estimated the time for the jurors. It all seems a little too convenient for me. Don't give up hope."

Karen wrapped her arms tightly around herself. "Danny is going to be a daddy according to Lacey. I didn't even know they were like that with one another."

"You're about the last to know because of that video." Jo quipped. "Judy doesn't look like she was privy to that information either."

"What video?" Karen and Vikram asked at the same time.

* * *

Judy remained silent as she drove from the court house. She stopped momentarily to pick up Clara from gymnastic practice. Clara was waiting on the steps when they arrived. Therefore, she got in the car without Judy or Lacey having to get out. Judy continued to drive towards their home in silence.

Clara noticed the tension on her sister's and mother's face. Lacey was looking out the window as she watched and counted each tree that went by. Clara frowned slightly when she saw a tear run down Lacey's cheek.

"You told her, Mom." Clara folded her arms over her chest. "Don't be so selfish, Lacey. It is my future."

"What?" Lacey turned to stare at her sister in the back seat. "What are you talking about?"

"I didn't tell her yet, Clara." Judy swallowed as she looked in the rear view mirror at Clara. "I was waiting until tomorrow. Remember?"

"Then what has her panties in a wad?" Clara questioned sarcastically as the car came to a halt in front of their house.

Judy squeezed the steering wheel before leaning her head on the leather binding. "Not now, Clara."

For a few minutes, they all remained eerily quiet as they waited for Judy to get out of the car. Clara rolled her eyes before opening the car door and exiting. Clara's slamming of the car door shut caused Lacey and Judy to react by getting out. They walked into the house without a word said between them.

Lacey drew in a deep breath. "What are you talking about telling me?"

Judy stared angrily at Lacey. "I can't believe you!" She blew out in irrate words. "Of all people. Danny Desai!"

"I love him." Lacey bit her lip as tears threatened to once again make their appearance.

"You are getting an abortion!" Judy screamed at her daughter. "I'll make you an appointment as soon as I can."

"NO!" Lacey wailed out. "I haven't had time to think of what I want for the baby..for myself."

"Don't be ridiculous, Lacey!" Judy threw her arms up in the air. "The father of your child was just found guilty of murder!"

"Hold up a minute." Clara butted in. "Lacey is pregnant?"

"NOT NOW, Clara!" Lacey screamed towards her little sister.

"Don't speak to her like that." Judy reprimanded. "Your selfish ways are not going to ruin her life too."

"How is my being pregnant going to ruin Clara's life?" Lacey begged for an answer.

"It won't. Because you are not keeping the baby!" Judy growled out angrily.

"What?" Lacey collapsed into a chair nearby. "I am. I want it."

"I am not missing the trip for her." Clara interjected. "It isn't my fault she got knocked up."

"Clara." Judy rubbed her temples. "You will not miss this opportunity. I promise you. Lacey will get the abortion and we can go on like this never happened."

Lacey shook her head in disbelief. Her mother wasn't listening. She wasn't ready to make a decision like that. She wasn't sure if she ever could. Lacey held her knees as she asked again. "What opportunity? What is going on?"

Judy stood glaring at her oldest daughter. "Clara has been chosen by the new gymnastic teacher to go for training for the U.S. Olympics. It seems Mitch was holding her back due to wanting to keep her with him. We all know that was to keep in contact with your father. Any way, we will be moving to Seattle, Washington next month."

"What?" Lacey stood up. "I can't leave Green Grove. I have.." She no longer had friends here.

"Friends?" Judy laughed haughtily. "I think you cut those ties when you slept with the boy that murdered their friend. You have nothing here, Lacey."

"I have Danny." Lacey stated with hurt words. "He will be in prison in New York."

"I've had it with you." Judy stepped up getting in Lacey's face. "As far as you're concerned, Danny Desai may as well be dead along with that b#S*rd of his that you are carrying."

* * *

Eddie was in the room with Danny. Danny was bent over holding his knees.

"Are you okay, kid?" Eddie asked concerned.

"I can't breathe." Danny stammered out. "I can't breathe."

Kyle pushed Danny towards a chair. "Sit down, Danny. You're hyperventilating. Calm down."

Danny cupped his hands together as he took shattered breaths.

Karen made it into the holding room to see Danny breathing rapidly. She knelt in front of him. "Danny, I'm here."

"I just wanted to play soccer." Danny said as his breathing escalated more. "I only wanted to take Lacey on real dates, to attend high school, to make a few friends." Danny studdered out between breathes. "I wanted to feel like a kid again. I haven't felt like that for so long." He cupped his face trying to breathe. His lungs seemed to be voiding themselves of air.

"Calm down, Danny." His mother repeated. Karen entwined her arms around her son. He sounded so young and small. He hadn't sounded like a kid since the day he wrapped a rope around Tara's neck.

"I can't breathe." Danny's chest felt like it was tightening. He was going to be a dad. A dad who was in prison. A dad who was too young to go to prison or have a child.

Karen didn't know what to do. She remembered Danny when he was very sick at the age of three with the flu. He had cried all night and ached for days. Karen closed her eyes as she began to rock Danny's body with hers. She sung to Danny as she rocked his body.

_"Rock a bye baby in the tree top, When the wind blows,_

_the cradle will rock. When the bow breaks the cradle will fall._

_Mommy will catch baby cradle and all."_

Danny pulled back from his mother. His breathing finally slowing to a normal pace. "It is supposed to say _down will come baby cradle and all_."

"I'll always catch you when you fall, Danny." Karen stated as she pushed Danny's hair from his face."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 10: Escape**

Lacey lay in bed staring up at the ceiling of her room. She kept finding herself glancing at the window praying in vain that Danny would open it. After her mother screamed at her for over an hour while Lacey sat there silently taking it, Lacey went to her room. She didn't bother with a shower or bother changing clothes. She simply threw herself on her bed.

She couldn't help but think how nice it would be to have Danny's arms around her. She wanted to kick herself for ever keeping him a secret. He was the best thing that had ever happened to her. The fact was that somewhere between the time of Danny killing Tara to the divorce of her parents, Lacey had been pushed back as an afterthought. It was as if her parents had Clara to get it right. It seemed that doting on Clara gave them an escape from their marital problems and their eldest child's problems. Lacey had became their child with too much drama.

Lacey rolled over thinking about going downstairs earlier only to stop at hearing her mother on the phone with her father. Lacey's mind drifted to how it hurt her to hear her mother's harsh words.

_"Samuel, don't blame me for her getting herself in this mess." Judy was talking loudly with anger evident. "Maybe if you were around more instead of living a secret life, she wouldn't have went to a psychopath for attention. For heaven's sake, the girl is pregnant with a crazy murdering boy's child."_

_Judy paused as Samuel spoke or yelled. Lacey was sure it was the latter. Then she spoke again. "Of course, she's getting an abortion. I will not have her life ruined for this MISTAKE."_

Lacey could remember a time when Judy was proud of her. She would shower Lacey with love and affection. She was a perfect mother to both her sister and her. But when Lacey's parents began to argue nonstop, somehow Lacey was pushed aside. Clara wasn't really ignored because the kid had basic needs to be taken care of. Most of the time, Lacey would be the one to do that. Her mother had went through a depressed period as her father had went through an absentee period. When Lacey had accidentally fed Clara a meal with some ingredient that Clara was allergic to, Judy awoke from her depressed state.

Lacey remembered that they had spent hours in the hospital in fear of Clara's reaction to the food with peanut oil in it. From that point on, Judy catered to Clara while Lacey was expected to take care of herself. Clara began to excel in gymnastics while Lacey had mastered the art of blending in the background at home. Lacey became the perfect daughter while Clara ravished the attention of being the not so perfect child. However, Clara's flaws were much easier to handle than Lacey's issues that were ignored. It pleased both Judy and Samuel that Lacey was the ideal daughter that gave them no problems from grades to attitude. Lacey didn't need them. She had climbed the ladder of popularity in school where she was looked at in awe by her classmates. Therefore, where Lacey was ignored at home, she was placed on a pedestal at school. Popularity was a way for her to escape all the drama in her life.

However, every moment of Lacey's life then was as if she was walking on eggshells. She thought at any minute she'd break the facade and fall. When Danny returned, she feared that the most. She knew that Danny could see right through her. She couldn't keep her walls up around him. He broke them down without trying. Once the walls were broken, Lacey felt alive despite being ignored by her family and no longer a factor to her friends. She knew it was because Danny wanted the real her. Not the perfect her.

Sometime after hearing the phone conversation, Lacey had ran upstairs and changed into more comfortable clothes. After all, the clothing she wore to the courthouse wasn't very comfortable. Lacey slid her hand across her abdomen. The tautness hid that inside her womb was a child. Lacey drew in a deep breath before sliding out of her bed. She pulled on a hoodie as she stood staring at herself in the mirror. She didn't recognize the girl with uncombed hair and dowdy clothes. This was not who Lacey Porter was. Lacey Porter was strong and independent. She didn't make decisions rashly. She thought about every move she made in calculated steps. Danny had changed that.

Lacey slipped on her boots before sneaking out of the house. She knew her mother would hear the car start so Lacey opted to walk. Lacey made it about a half mile when rain began to pepper her body. She cursed her luck but still went on undaunted. By the time she arrived at the Desai house, Lacey was soaked.

For the second time since Danny was arrested, Lacey Porter had shown up on Danny's doorstep unsure why she had made her way to his house. All Lacey could think about was being near Danny made her feel safe. The closest she was able to get to that was laying in his bed holding tightly to his pillow. She needed to be near Danny so bad to escape the harsh words of her mother.

Karen Desai opened the door holding a glass of wine in her hand. Before Karen could speak, Lacey spoke.

"I know you think I'm crazy and I really hate to keep intruding like this." Lacey blinked as raindrops dripped from her hooded shirt onto her face.

"Lacey, get in here. You're soaked." Karen pulled the girl into the house. "Don't be ridiculous. You're always welcome here."

"I need to be near him." Lacey whispered softly trying to explain her irrational actions. "I feel near him here."

"Come on." Karen grabbed Lacey's arm as she marched her up the stairs. "We can find some sweat pants and a t-shirt of Danny's. You can shower and get dressed in them." Karen glanced back at the distraught girl. "Does your mother know you're here?"

Lacey shook her head 'no' which caused water to drip from her. "Mom wants me to get an abortion."

The young girl didn't know why she said that to this woman. Even if she was Danny's mother, she still felt like a stranger.

Karen halted as she allowed Lacey to lean against the hallway wall. "Do you want that?"

Lacey shook her head back and forth as tears mingled with the residue of rain. "The baby is a part of him." Lacey sniffed. "How can I kill a part of Danny?"

Karen blinked trying not to cry. "Let me get those clothes for you. I can dry your clothes while you shower. Do you want to spend the night? Then I can take you to see Danny in the morning. I know for a fact that he misses you."

Lacey broke down sobbing as she shook her head in agreement. "I need that."

Karen didn't know what to do with the sobbing teen girl. She wasn't exactly _mother of the year_ to her own son. Therefore dealing with someone else's child was a task to say the least. However, she managed to convince Lacey to shower so she could call Judy.

"This is Karen Desai." Karen could hear Judy groan in dismay at hearing her voice.

"Listen, Karen. I don't want to get into this." Judy spoke in a matter of fact tone. "Lacey is going to take care of this tomorrow. It is no worry from you. You have enough to think about with your son in prison, your dead husband being alive, and all that stuff. My daughter is my responsibility. I promise not to make her yours."

"That is not why I'm calling, Judy." Karen blew out a breath of air. "I was calling to inform you that Lacey is at my house. She was soaked to the bone so I told her to take a warm shower. She is staying the night if that is okay. It is a pretty bad rain, so it is best she stay here for the night."

"What?" Judy shrieked. "I didn't even see her leave."

"It is fine for her to stay." Karen rubbed her aching neck. "I'm sure she only wants to be near Danny."

"Being near Danny caused this mess." Judy quipped angrily.

Karen did understand her. Lacey was so young to be pregnant. "I'll bring her home tomorrow."

Karen hung up the phone before Judy could become more irate. Karen made Lacey a cup of hot chocolate from a boxed package then added marshmallows. Danny loved that since he was a small child. It was one of the rare things that Danny did like from Karen's upbringing compared to that of Vikram's.

"Hey." Lacey came into the kitchen. She fidgeted with the shirt she had on. She gladly accepted the hot chocolate from Karen."Thanks."

"You're welcome." Karen sat down on a kitchen stool and began to blow on her own hot chocolate. "It is a package hot chocolate. You just add water." Karen smiled as Lacey sat on a stool adjacent hers. "I called your mother and told her you were staying the night."

"She's pretty mad." Lacey said as she stared at the marshmallow bobbing up and down in her cup. "I don't blame her. She had no clue that Danny and I were involved."

"I think Danny tried to tell me once." Karen took a small sip from her mug. "He didn't want to leave you to go to Arizona. He said he couldn't be happy if he went to Arizona. You make him happy. "

Lacey drew in a deep breath. "I was on birth control. We thought we were responsible because of that. With Danny and I both never being with anyone else, we thought that was enough. During my mother's yelling, she let me know that the birth control I was on was very mild dosage. It was for my menstrual cycle more than pregnancy prevention." Lacey kept her eyes down. "I wanted you to know that I am sorry."

Karen bit her lip then tried to think of the right words. "Lacey, don't apologize. I don't know what you're going to decide to do. But if you keep this baby, I'll be there for you the best I can. I haven't been the best mother to my son. But I plan on doing better. I know he's going to get out of this. If he doesn't.." Karen paused momentarily then straightened her shoulders. "I swear, I'll run with him. Some how, some way, I'll get him out if I have to plan a freakin' escape."

Lacey giggled slightly knowing that Karen meant every word. "Well, if you do that, tell me where to meet him. I'll go in hiding with Danny if he wants me to."

Karen chuckled as she shook her head. "Danny will insist."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 11: Hold Me**

Lacey took a deep breath before entering into the holding cell where Danny was being retained. Karen had opted to let Lacey take her visiting time. It seemed the mayor was out to make Danny's stay at local lock up miserable. Therefore, he had a very regimented visiting time. It wasn't unusual for any prisoner to have a rigid schedule. However, this was a local facility and most of the time, rules were relaxed.

Danny bolted up off his bed when he saw Lacey enter his cell.

Eddie rubbed his neck nervously. "Uh. We will be checking on you..."

His face flushed red with embarrassment. He was the one that found Lacey and Danny scurrying to get clothes situated the last time Lacey visited Danny. Luckily, they were both dressed but their clothes were definitely disheveled.

Danny smirked slightly as Lacey turned her back to Eddie. She was definitely more than ashamed of her actions with Danny last visit. Eddie walked out after he had warned the teens.

Before Lacey could say a word, Danny's arms were around her. Lacey returned the embrace with gratitude. In his arms, Lacey felt warm and safe. It was like the world slowed down and life wasn't such a mess. She could hear Danny taking in her scent. That caused Lacey's eyes to water slightly due to knowing that Danny missed her.

They stood that way for the longest time. Neither moving from the tight embrace. Both enjoying the feeling of holding each other in the comforting hug. Although reluctant, Danny was the first to pull away.

"I have something for you." Danny smiled broadly. He quickly made his way to pull something from under his cell cot. "I asked Eddie to get me a book about babies. He found this. I wanted to read up on things. He said the sale's lady suggested this. But I think it is more for you." Danny jutted his hand through his hair. He smiled sheepishly. "I asked him to get two copies after I started reading it. It is pretty cool."

He handed Lacey the book. She stared down at the book reading the title. _What to Expect When You're Expecting._ She never made an attempt to smile or to frown.

"If you don't want it..." Danny wrung his hands together. "I understand."

Lacey looked up at Danny. Her eyes were misted over. "Mom wants me to get an abortion."

Danny practically fell back into one of the chairs in the room. "Is it because of what I am?"

Lacey blinked as she stared at Danny. Her heart shattered at the look on his face. Partly, Judy was upset that Lacey was having Danny's baby because of him being a murderer. However, Lacey was sure there was much more to it.

"No. She thinks I'm too young." Lacey walked over and stood over Danny. She placed her hands in his hair as she pulled his head to rest on her stomach. "I am."

Danny placed his arms around Lacey's hips. "I didn't think about you not wanting the baby."

"I do want the baby, Danny." Lacey admitted for the first time both to Danny and herself. "I can't kill what is ours."

Danny slowly pushed up Lacey's shirt. He kissed her abdomen then whispered. "I want the baby too. This baby is part of you. The best part of this baby is that part."

Lacey allowed a few tears to fall. "I'm so emotional lately."

Danny pulled her down to his lap. He held her tightly. "That's okay. You're pregnant. You're mom can't make you have an abortion."

"I know." Lacey placed her head against Danny's chest. She could hear his heart racing. It told of his nervousness. He was hiding behind a facade of strength when he was as frightened as she was. Probably more so. "I stayed at your house last night. I think that may have given mom time to calm down."

"You stayed at my house?" Danny chuckled as he ran his hand up and down Lacey's back. "Be warned. Mom is trying to be Mary Poppins or June Cleaver. She actually sang me a lullaby when she was here. I admit it calmed me down. But it was only because I thought the woman was losing her mind."

Lacey matched Danny's laughter with her own. "She tried to make me breakfast. I never saw eggs look like that before. They were black."

"You didn't eat them. Did you?" Danny slid his chin to the crown of Lacey's head.

"Actually, yes. I did to make her happy." Lacey shook her head as another chuckle reverberated from her lips. "It is the first thing I've held down in days."

"I guess that is good." Danny pushed a strand of hair from Lacey's face. He didn't want anything obstructing the view of Lacey's gorgeous face.

"I don't know who June Cleaver is." Lacey admitted as she continued to chuckle.

"Oh." Danny smiled as he thought about it. "In juvie, we got very limited TV time. We had to watch only certain channels and shows like the _Andy Giffith Show_ and _Leave it to Beaver_. June Cleaver was the mom on that show."

The teens laughed in relief for a few moments. Then the room fell silent. Lacey was still against Danny's chest. Danny could hear her sobbing.

"Lace, tell me how to help you." Danny tried knowing there wasn't much he could do behind bars.

"I'm sorry for blubbering." Lacey sniffed trying to keep her emotions at bay. "That is all I do lately."

"I caused all this." Danny kissed Lacey's cheek. "I don't know how to fix it."

"You can't." Lacey made slow circles on Danny's chest with her fingers. "It is the pregnancy. It's both our faults."

"I'm going to keep trying to prove my innocence." Danny assured her. "I am going to help you with this."

Lacey nodded as she exhaled. "Just hold me, Danny. That is what I need right now. I just want you to hold me."

Danny pushed Lacey from his lap. After he stood up, Danny took her hand. He walked to his cot. There he laid down and pulled Lacey to lay as well. Danny spooned her body to his body. His arms enveloped Lacey as he rested his chin on her shoulder.

"I need you to let me hold you." Danny stated in a soothing voice.

Their legs entwined as they lay together trying to allow their bodies to be close for the short time they had. No words were needed as pain seemed to dissipate momentarily when they held one another. Tomorrow would bring the tribulation back into their lives. However, at this moment, embraced in each other's arms, Danny and Lacey felt content.

They remained like that until Eddie interrupted them. "Sorry, visiting hours are up. You can come back tomorrow, Lacey."

Reluctance overtook Lacey as she stood up. Danny did as well. He leaned to kiss her goodbye. The kiss was short but demanding. The kiss broke as their hands lingered together for a few more minutes. As they pulled their hands from each other, they slid finger to finger until the last second. Then the tips of their fingers grazed each other for one last touch.

Lacey stared back at Danny with a smile before finally exiting the room. She walked out to see Karen waiting on her.

Karen smiled seeing Lacey's face lit up due to seeing Danny. "Ready to go?"

Lacey nodded as she headed out of the precinct with Karen. She glanced over at Karen. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Karen unlocked the car doors.

"What is _Leave it to Beaver_?"


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 12: The Truth Is...**

Lacey glanced over at Rico and Jo as she piled another piece of turkey on to her sandwich. She then poured some confectionery sugar on top of that before adding mustard and a couple of potato chips. She bit down on the sandwich making an 'mmmm' sound as she chomped away.

"That is gross." Rico stated before flinching slightly when Lacey glared at him. "I mean to me. But I'm sure it is appetizing to you. After all, you're eating it. Therefore, it has to taste good to you. Even though it doesn't look that great. Well, it doesn't look great to me. I'm sure it does to you."

"Chill, Rico." Jo giggled as she punched him in the shoulder. "She's having a baby. Lacey is allowed to eat." Jo raised one eyebrow. "Whatever that is."

"It's goomd." Lacey spoke with her mouth full . "Rem goom."

"I think she said that it is good." Rico placed his elbows on the table of the booth. "How is Danny holding up? I mean being a daddy and prison. All that stuff."

Lacey took big swallow. "Good as can be expected. And he isn't exactly a daddy yet." Lacey slid her finger across the sugar before placing her finger in her mouth.

"Well, I meant..." Rico rubbed his neck nervously.

"She knew what you meant." Jo giggled. "Have you seen him?"

"I got to see him this morning. He gave me a really good book about pregnancy." Lacey took another bite of her strange sandwich.

"Does your mom know you want to keep the baby?" Jo asked as she stirred her strawberry milkshake with her straw.

Lacey shook her head no. "I haven't seen her. She was gone when I got there this morning. She has to make arrangements for Clara's training. She got accepted to train for the Olympics."

"Is Clara going to Texas?" Rico asked as he picked up an onion ring.

Lacey frowned slightly. "No. Mom said we're moving to Seattle. I have only a few weeks to figure out how to get out of that."

"Why Seattle?" Rico ran his onion ring in a puddle of ketchup. "My cousin had to go to Texas. What is in Seattle?"

Lacey bit her lip. "That is where Clara is supposed to train." Lacey furrowed her eyebrows. "Texas? Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Rico took a bite of his onion ring then added. "Positive. We teased my cousin for a month about it. She didn't want to leave New York City."

Lacey squared back her shoulders. "I think I'll head home. Mom is bound to be back. I guess that conversation I dread is bound to happen sooner or later."

"Good luck with that, Lacey." Jo took a sip of her milkshake. "Call me if you need me."

"Thanks, Jo." Lacey exhaled nervously. "I will definitely take you up on that."

After Lacey left, Rico asked Jo. "Since when did you and Lacey become best buds again?"

"We aren't." Jo quirked her mouth sideways. "She asked me to meet her here to talk. I think she needed to tell someone she wanted to keep the baby. Then you came in and joined us."

"I'm sorry if I interrupted you two." Rico sighed.

"You didn't." Jo added quickly. "It is still touchy on the Danny front. But her carrying his baby kind of makes them connected more than he and I ever will be. I'm just glad you and I are still best friends. We are aren't we?"

"Yeah." Rico grinned. "I think it wouldn't hurt to let Lacey be in this popular clique too."

Jo chuckled as she stated sarcastically. "I'm sure Lacey would love to join us at our booth for outcasts."

* * *

Judy stared over at Clara as the girl glanced at the brochure. "Sounds good? Huh?"

Clara bobbed her head causing her curls to bounce. "Yeah. I think the change will be good. Dad will be a lot closer."

"I know." Judy flipped the brochure over. "I can rent out the house here. Randall said that he can't wait to have us move in."

"It is exciting." Clara grinned. "A whole new life away from the town famous for a child murderer."

Lacey had watched their interaction from the corner of the room. She stood there undetected. "This isn't about Clara training for the Olympics. Is it? You lied to me. Didn't you?"

Judy turned to stare at her oldest daughter. "Lacey Porter, you have no right to speak to me in that manner." Judy motioned for both her girls to sit down. They obeyed. "Yesterday, I blew up. There is a lot at stake with our plans. Clara knows all about it."

"But I don't." Lacey rubbed her hands on the kitchen table. "I'm the oldest child. Yet, you confide in Clara. You tell her the truth and lie to me."

"Lacey, I have an opportunity to train..."

"Clara, I know that Seattle, Washington isn't about training for the Olympics. I researched." Lacey looked at her mother then her little sister then back to her mother again. "I want the truth."

"The truth is that I met a man named Randall Gaines. He is very influential with a very well known former Olympian. This person is willing to train Clara to get her ready so she will be a contender later. Then we will relocate to Texas if all goes as planned. Randall..." Judy raked her hands over the tablecloth straightening it. "..he is very special to me. We've been seeing each other."

"He's great, Lacey." Clara smiled broadly. "You'll like him."

Lacey felt her lip quiver as it dawned on her that her sister and mother were living a life separate from hers. It also became a realization that Lacey was doing the same with them. "I'm glad you found someone, Mom. But I'm not going to Seattle."

"You have no choice." Judy shook her head. "You're a sixteen year old girl."

"I have been taking care of myself for a while now." Lacey had never really spoke up to either of her parents before. Too many things needed to be considered now. "I don't blame anyone for that but me. Don't you see, Mom? I pulled away from life. The fact is that you let me. It was easier for you and Dad."

"I...I.." Judy stammered. "I didn't want to make you upset with the changes. Regina's death, Danny coming back. It was a little much. Now you're pregnant with his child. Lacey, he killed your best friend."

"No. He didn't." Lacey bit her lip. "Honestly, I don't care if you believe in Danny or not. But I do." Lacey took in a deep breath. "I'm keeping the baby."

"Don't be silly." Judy rolled her eyes. "You are too young to raise a child by yourself. I am not going to give up my life or cause Clara's life to be placed on hold for you."

"I never expected you to." Lacey squared back her shoulders. "You never have."

Clara glanced at her mother, who sat dumbfounded by Lacey's words. Sadly, Clara and Judy both realized Lacey was telling the truth.

"You can't make me get an abortion. Danny is going to get a new trial. He is innocent. He will help me with our child." Lacey held up her hand. "Before you say I'm naive. I'm not. But somehow, we're going to get through this. Danny and I together."

"I can't believe you are accusing me of being absent from your life." Judy stated defensively. "You are the one that chose to pull away."

"You said it yourself, Mom. I'm sixteen." Lacey allowed a tear to streak down her face. "Do you know how many times that Danny has sneaked into my window and had sex with me?"

"Oh my gosh!" Clara's eyes bugged out. "You did the nasty here!"

"Clara, don't be so crass." Judy exclaimed. "Lacey, that is inappropriate."

"It is. It was. But I asked because you have no idea because you never checked to see what was happening in my life. I spent the night with Danny one time. You didn't even know." Lacey bit her lip. "All I had to say was I stayed with Phoebe. You never checked. I'm not perfect like you and Dad wanted to assume. I make mistakes. But I will not have an abortion and add that to my list of mistakes. Yes, having this baby may be a mistake. I am too young to know about life. But it is a mistake I am going to make whether you support me or not."

"I don't know what to do." Judy admitted as she closed her eyes. "What am I supposed to do? Tell me, Lacey."

"Move on with Clara." Lacey swallowed. "I have a few weeks to find somewhere to live. Can't you pay support to someone for me? Can you make someone guardian over me?"

"But.."

"Listen, Mom. I have to establish a obstetrician. I have to remain here to be there for Danny." Lacey whipped her hand under her eyes trying to keep the tears from wetting her cheeks. "If Clara makes it to training for the Olympics, we can focus on moving to Texas. But I can't be uprooted for something that isn't a guarantee. That's not fair to me. It isn't fair to Clara or yourself not to do this either." Lacey bit her lip as it trembled. "The truth is that you haven't tried to be there for me until Danny came back. Then you tried to be the mother you once were by butting in to my life. But it was too late. The truth is I don't need you."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 13: All I Want **

Danny Desai didn't ask for much out of life. Even as a child he wasn't that demanding for things. Then all he had asked for was to hang out with his two best friends, Jo and Lacey. He wanted to play soccer while his dad watched proudly. He wanted his mother to give him attention. But mostly, then Danny wanted to feel safe.

Now, his life wasn't much different sans the dad watching him play soccer. He would rather not see his father ever again. However, he had requested for Vikram to see him. Therefore, both the young Desai and the older Desai sat staring at one another not speaking a word despite Danny requesting to see him.

Vikram finally spoke breaking the silence. "You look good, Danny."

Danny smirked before speaking. "You look strangely well for a dead man."

"I was protecting you and your mother." Vikram reasoned with Danny. "Whatever Tara was into caused us danger, Danny. Our family was in danger due to that book she was writing."

"Whatever." Danny held up his hand. "I don't want to talk about the past. Dwelling in the past will get us no where. I have to think about the future. Tara is dead. The end. Now, I'm going to be a father. Is there anything you know or can do to help me out of going to prison? I didn't kill Regina Crane."

Vikram rubbed the back of his neck. "I know that, Danny. What I don't know is who did it. I know it has something to do with Tara's book. But I don't even know where to find the rough draft. The people after Tara think I know. That is why I went into hiding. They threatened you and your mom if I didn't tell. The fact that you were getting out of juvie put you right back into danger."

"Killing Tara should've been enough for those people." Danny blew out air. "I killed her. What more do they want from me?"

"You're a threat to them." Vikram stood up and began pacing back and forth. "Tell me why you killed her, Danny. Why did you kill Tara?"

Danny stared up at his father. "You said you needed to protect our family. So did I."

Vikram ran his hand through his hair. It was a habit that Danny had inherited from him. "That was my job. You were only eleven."

Danny shook his head back and forth. "I don't want to rehash this. I want to get out of this cell and help Lacey with our baby."

"So she's keeping the baby." Vikram stopped pacing and sat back down. "Danny, you're both so young."

"I know that." Danny stared at his father. "We have mom to help us and I'm sure Lacey's mom. We're not naive. We know we need help. Mother may not have been the best mother. But she is trying. She'd do anything for me now. We've changed with each other. You weren't here when we both needed you. Mom may not know exactly what she's doing as far as a mom. However, she's trying." Danny chuckled slightly before adding. "She's even going overboard at times. But I know she'll be there for Lacey and the baby. All I want is to be there too."

"I'll try to help you get out of here." Vikram said as he stood up. "If I can find the rough draft of Tara's book, it may give us clues to who is framing you."

Danny nodded. "I need her, Dad. I need Lacey so much. She's the best part of my life." Danny sighed. "The baby and Lacey are more than I ever dreamed could happen for me. I know I'm young but I want this so bad."

Vikram smiled as he looked at his son. "You've grown up good, Danny."

With those words, Vikram walked to the door. He added with a smile. "Lacey is waiting to see you. You did good with her, Danny."

"I know I did." Danny agreed quickly.

* * *

The door to the holding cell had barely closed before Danny was grabbing Lacey and closing his mouth around hers. His mouth was hungry as it reveled in the taste of Lacey's mouth. Tongues dueled for dominance as Danny shoved up Lacey's short skirt. He picked her up and pushed against her body. Lacey twisted her hips into Danny's hips.

Lacey's legs wrapped tightly around Danny's waist as her hands gripped his shoulders. Danny pressed Lacey's body against the holding cell wall. He didn't hesitate to ask her for permission to be with her. He knew she'd oblige him. He took her quickly and eagerly. Lacey gasped at the feeling of Danny taking her with such obvious desire.

"I want you so bad." Danny panted out with each thrust. His bated breath burned the outer core of Lacey's ear.

"Awww. Danny." Lacey couldn't form any more words than that as she felt herself reaching the brink much quicker than expected. For once, Lacey was thankful for the new hormones surging through her body.

Danny zealously kissed Lacey again. As his tongue danced expertly with Lacey's tongue, his body fervently continued the heated movements. He pulled back from the kiss to stare into Lacey's eyes.

"Faster." Lacey ordered as she entangled her fingers in Danny's hair.

Danny smirked with confidence as he obeyed Lacey's lustful request. Their hunger for one another was equal in fevor. Danny tried to hold back his own gratification to please his lover.

"Let go." Danny's voice sounded like he was pleading. "I need you to let go, Lace."

Danny sped up his actions as he felt Lacey's legs wrapping tighter around him. She pulled at Danny's hair as she went over the edge. She didn't sound like the demure Lacey Porter when she screamed out his name. Danny allowed his own body to reach the brink before slowly resting his forehead against Lacey's.

Eddie was on the outside of the door. His face once again turned a dark shade of red. He glanced at Kyle, who arched his eyebrow knowingly.

"Is their time up yet, Boss?" Eddie hoped it wasn't. He wanted the kids to calm down from their usual jail visits before entering the holding cell.

"Not yet." Kyle turned to place some files in the cabinet. He chose to ignore the fact that the teens were probably doing something inappropriate in the private room. He figured Danny was going to prison for a while. Therefore, he wanted the kid to have a life before living life was taken.

Eddie walked over to Kyle. He nodded his head back at the holding cell door. "I sure hope they allow conjugal visits in prison."

Kyle chuckled as he added. "I'm glad my daughter didn't get his feelings returned to her like she wanted."

* * *

Danny placed Lacey down as they straightened their clothing. Lacey giggled as she sighed. "That was interesting."

"Yeah." Danny slid his finger over Lacey's cheek. "It was."

Danny pulled Lacey by the hand over to his cot. The teens held each other on the cot as they breathed in each other. Danny stroked Lacey's back with his fingertips.

"Are you feeling okay?" Danny asked as he placed his chin on her shoulder. "Is the morning sickness gone."

"Yeah. I'm doing better. I am craving some weird stuff." Lacey spun around to look at Danny. "I need to see an obstetrician. My family doctor is setting me up with one. She thinks it's best to see an obstetrician rather than her because of my age."

"That's a good idea." Danny stated swallowing nervously.

"The doctor thinks they'll give me an ultrasound right away so I can see how far along I am." Lacey informed Danny.

"Oh." Danny glanced down before glancing back up at Lacey.

Lacey looked into Danny's eyes. His eyes glimmered as he stared at her. "What's wrong, Danny?"

"All I want is to be there for you and the baby, Lacey."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 14: Too Soon**

Jo ran straight to Lacey. Literally, she ran up to Lacey. The teen girl looked at her friend questioningly as Jo held her knees breathing hard. With each breath that Jo took, Lacey looked at her curiously. Finally after a few short moments of hearing Jo breath in ragged breaths, Lacey spoke up.

"What's wrong with you? Why the hurry?" Lacey shut her locker door before staring at Jo. They were slowly becoming friends again.

"He's..he's..early..earlier than thought." Jo tried to get out the words as she panted out for air. "Too soon. Dad...said..too soon."

"What?" Lacey leaned against the locker. She was in no mood for Jo's over dramatization of whatever the girl wanted to tell. Lacey's day had started out great. She couldn't wait to see Danny. Lacey had been to the obstetrician and found out she was two months pregnant. She lost her virginity and became a mother all in one night. No surprise to Lacey. Danny always did put his all into things. Lacey suppressed a giggle at that thought.

Rico was soon standing by Jo. "Did you tell her that Danny's sentence hearing is today?"

"What?!" Lacey dropped her books with a thud. The papers in the books scattered on the hall floor. Most students gave Lacey a condescending look before passing her by without bothering to help pick up the papers. A few even made it obvious they were stepping on her work on purpose. One boy laughed as he twisted his foot ripping some papers.

Rico bent to pick up what papers and books were near him. In the mean time, Lacey slumped back into her locker. Jo was shaking her head yes but no words were forming.

Rico continued to speak. "Karen told us to tell you. She couldn't get a hold of you. It was a surprise to everyone."

"Oh my gosh! I forgot to charge my phone last night. I fell asleep. What if Danny tried to get in contact with me!" Lacey opened her locker back up so Rico could toss her books inside. "We have to go. I have to see Danny. It is too soon! "

The teens were soon standing at the courthouse waiting with Karen by the courtroom. Karen wrung her hands nervously as she glanced at Lacey and the other two approaching. How much more could this teen couple take? Karen wasn't sure.

"I don't know how this happened. We thought we had at least twenty more days with him." Karen closed her eyes then reopened them. She glanced over at Kyle and Tess approaching. Vikram was with them as well. She addressed Kyle. "What is going on? Why are they sentencing Danny so soon?"

"I don't know. It isn't really a law that he has thirty five days. The wait can be no longer than thirty five. I guess with Green Grove so small, they didn't have anything else on the docket. I'm sorry." Kyle glanced from Karen to Jo to Lacey. "I know you all wanted more time with him. We wanted more time too."

Eddie was the next to scurry in. "This is unreal. They didn't give anyone time. Danny is a wreck."

Eddie looked over at Lacey. Suddenly, he wished he hadn't mentioned Danny being a wreck. But it was true. The boy was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

"Can we see him?" Lacey asked with a shaky voice. "Can any of us see him?"

Danny's lawyer approached. "Sorry. But the hearing is about to start. You all go in. I didn't expect it this soon. I'm still working on appeal papers. At least if I got those filed, I could give Danny good news after the sentencing."

"I am going to go." Eddie said as he glanced at them all. "I want the privilege of escorting Danny into the courtroom. He deserves good treatment."

The group made their way into the courtroom. Danny was escorted in as Eddie said. Eddie looked proud as he walked along side Danny. Eddie didn't even hold on to Danny's arm. He simply walked beside him like a friend walking with a friend.

"All rise. The honorable, Judge Joseph Waylie, presides." The court officer stated.

They all rose to their feet then sat down when Judge Waylie told them to be seated. He cleared his throat. "The victim's friends and family have waived the right to address the defendant. Sentencing will take place immediately." The judge stared at Danny. "Will the defendant please rise?"

Danny stood up. He glanced back at Lacey then his mother and lastly Jo. He turned back around slowly as fear began to show on his usually confident face.

"Due to the graphic nature of this crime and past acts by the defendant, I am prosecuting to the full extent of the law. Danny Desai will be sentenced to twenty years to life at a New York Penitentiary center nearest his home. The Metropolitan Correctional Facility will be your home Danny Desai until you are up for parole in the year of 2033. The sentencing will take place today." The judge hit his gavel as he courtroom burst with noise from the crowd. Most was elation while some were crying for Danny.

"Danny!" Lacey screamed as she thrust a piece of paper to him.

Eddie took the small paper before the county officers could grab it. He nodded at Lacey alerting her that he would make sure Danny got it. Danny peered at Lacey holding eye contact until he was pulled out of the courtroom. Lacey felt her emotions gripping her. She noticed his hair was softly touching his shoulders. She noticed his eyes penetrated and mesmerized any one that looked at him. She noticed his perfect face and perfect lips.

"He is beautiful." Lacey said as she clinched her teeth tightly. "Oh my gawd, he's beautiful. Danny is so young and beautiful."

Karen as well as the rest of those standing near Lacey knew exactly what the teen girl was referring to. Being a beautiful boy as Danny was, wouldn't be a good thing when going to a prison full of men. Some of which were rapists and deviants. Lacey then doubled over as a pain shot through her abdomen. She clutched the nearest person to her, which happened to be Vikram. She gripped his arm trying to hold herself up.

"Lacey?" Karen noticed the girl doubled over. "Lacey?"

"Hurts." Lacey stated before she collapsed.

Vikram caught her before she hit the floor. He held her in his arms screaming for medical help. "Help her. Someone help her!"

"Not now." Karen began to cry. The emotions of Danny being sentenced and Lacey falling over in pain coupled together causing her to panic. "It is too soon."

* * *

Danny sat with his head in his hands after he was escorted to the transportation van. He didn't understand why no one came to visit for the short five minutes he had. He wanted to see Lacey and his mom at the very least. He had no idea that Lacey had fainted due to emotions and pain wracking her body. Eddie requested to ride with Danny to the Correctional Facility. Therefore, he didn't know what events were happening in the court house halls either.

Eddie stepped in the back of the van and sat by Danny. The escorting other officer stared angrily at the Eddie, who obviously befriended the prisoner. Eddie didn't care what they thought. Danny didn't deserve this.

"Here." Eddie handed Danny the paper Lacey had thrust to him. "It's from Lacey."

Danny weakly smiled as he opened the folded paper. His breath hitched as he saw the black and white image. "Oh my gosh."

"What is it?" Eddie looked over at the paper in Danny's hands. "Is that your baby?"

Danny couldn't contain his emotions as a tear dripped from his eyelashes to his cheek. "Yeah. That little thing that looks like a peanut is mine and Lacey's baby."

Eddie lowered his voice so that only Danny could hear. "This isn't over, Danny. We both know you're innocent. Chief and I are going to keep working. Now we all have more incentive to keep fighting for you." He pointed to the ultrasound image. "Don't stop fighting for yourself. Don't let this place break you. Stay strong for your baby."

"I will. For Lacey and our baby. I will survive this." Danny gripped the ultrasound paper tightly.

Both Eddie and Danny smiled for a few moments before the sound of blaring sirens echoed inside the van. Eddie noticed his phone vibrating so he picked it up. He swallowed the bile that suddenly burnt his throat. He glanced over at Danny, who was staring proudly at the little black and white image on the paper.

Eddie took a deep breath before texting Kyle back in answer to his text.**  
**

Kyle's text read : **Lacey to hospital. Having Pain. May be losing baby. Warn Danny**

Eddie's Text back**: Can't now. That will break him. Too Soon**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 15: Reality Check**

"Here." Karen handed Judy some coffee in a Styrofoam cup. "I'm not sure how the hospital coffee is now but a few years back, it was good."

Judy briefly glanced at Karen then gratefully took the cup of coffee. She didn't speak as she blew on the rim of the cup. Tess watched curiously before making her way over to the two woman.

"Were you in the hospital, Karen?" Tess tried to make conversation so both mothers wouldn't think about the events of the day.

"No. Danny was beat up really bad once." Karen sighed out as she tried to shake the memory from her head. "He was in juvie. A new boy came that was very violent. Danny was taking up for a fellow inmate. To make a long story short, the boy was from a gang. The gang had members there. So when he attacked Danny a few jumped in. Danny was sent here. He was detained and no one could see him but me." Karen gulped as reality hit her. "What is going to happen to him in the place he is going if he was beat in juvie?"

Vikram had been standing with Kyle. He heard Karen's words. He didn't care if she pushed him away. He needed to hold his wife, the mother of his child. He marched over to her and embraced her in a tight hug.

"We're going to get our son out of this, Karen." Vikram assured her as he held her.

Karen gasped out tears. "Don't think you're off the hook for your lies." She sunk into his arms despite her words being the opposite of her actions.

Judy stared up at Karen sobbing in Vikram's arms. She looked at Tess talking to Kyle. Then she watched as Karen relinquished the hug to make it over to Judy once more.

"I'm sorry for the mini break down." Karen sat down as she glanced around her. Her voice still shook as reality of Danny's situation plagued her mind. "I hate hospitals."

"Me too." Judy took a sip of her coffee. "I feel guilty. I wanted Lacey to have an abortion. I thought she was way too young for a baby. She is. But I don't want her to lose it. Isn't that strange?"

"Not at all." Karen half smiled. "I don't think my son could take any more bad news. I'm not sure Lacey can either."

"I was moving to Seattle with the girls. Lacey is refusing to go. She doesn't understand that Clara and I need this. I want to try to make amends with Samuel. He is there. If we could be friends at the least, Clara would have a better life. I found someone new. I just wanted life to get easier for us all." Judy bit her lip. "That is a lie. The reality of it is that I wanted to forget Green Grove and pretend my life wasn't about a gay ex-husband, a traumatized daughter, and a town that judges for all things" Judy looked at Karen. "I am being selfish. But I want away from here."

"Lacey could stay with me." Karen spoke quickly. The words came out before she even realized what she was saying. But the fact was that Lacey and she had something in common that no one else in town had. They both had unconditional love for Danny Desai. "Please, Judy. No matter what happens to the baby, Danny needs her so much. His eyes light up when he sees her. I know you think he's a monster. But he's my son. I have to look out for him too. I know I've not been the best mother but if Lacey wants to, I'd love to have her stay with me. We can visit Danny together."

"I don't think Danny is a monster, Karen. I just worry about all that follows him. Like I said, this town judges harshly."

Karen pleaded. "At least think about it."

Judy nodded but before she could speak, the doctor walked out. Everyone gathered to hear of Lacey's condition.

"The baby is fine." The doctor said quickly. "On the other hand, Lacey is very dehydrated. She is weak and exhausted. I told her at the office today that I wanted to run some tests in a couple of days. But the ultrasound was more important."

"She had an ultrasound?" Judy felt her lungs tighten. "She never told me."

Karen and Tess glanced at each other but no one spoke. The doctor cleared his throat.

"Lacey is having a difficult pregnancy. She is very young and carrying twins isn't helping the matter." The doctor stared at Judy. "I guess I should've said the babies are fine."

* * *

After the news that Lacey and the babies were fine, Karen left the hospital. She would allow Judy to think of her offer to allow Lacey to stay with her. The doctor had given Lacey pain meds. Therefore, no decisions could be made before speaking to Lacey any way. The girl was in a weakened state due to her constant worry. Having twins added to the mix had to really have the girl twisted up in side. It sure made Judy and Karen realize how real this was all becoming.

Karen drove without stopping until she got to the Metropolitan Correctional Facility. She glanced in the rear view mirror of her car. Karen knew her looks would get her a lot in a place like this. She'd use anything available to protect her son. Karen got out of the car pushing down her pencil skirt and smoothing out her hair.

She walked to the office where the warden's office was. She flashed a fake smile at the familiar secretary before making her way into the warden's office. The door closed behind Karen as the secretary looked towards the office in disgust.

Karen's next step was to go to the visitor's room. She took a deep breath as she sat down waiting.

"You got a visitor, George. And she is a looker." The guard laughed as George looked up questioningly. He rarely got visitors and when he did, gorgeous wasn't a word to describe them.

George was a _lifer_ as they called him. He had no eligibility for parole. He had killed his wife and her lover. Both murders he had planned. Then George killed an inmate that was in the prison for raping a twelve year old girl. George said it was worth ridding the world of garbage like the man and he'd do it again in a heartbeat. He was a tall man of color with large muscles and a mean attitude. However, George was still respected by his fellow inmates. Even certain guards had a friendship with George.

Karen pushed back her hair when the large prisoner sat down in the chair behind the glass window. She stared at him momentarily before a smile formed on her face.

"Who are you and what do you want, Lady?" George growled out. He was having the best dream about a steak dinner when he was interrupted.

Karen pulled out a photo of Danny. She pressed it against the glass. "This is my son."

"So?" George leaned back in his seat.

"I've arranged for him to be your cell mate." Karen continued to press the photo against the glass.

"Lady, this isn't a camp sleep over. Cell mates can't be picked." George chuckled at the pretty blonde staring wide eyed at him.

"Reality check, George Wilcox. I am a resourceful woman. I know how to get the things I want. The warden happens to like petite blondes very much." Karen flipped her hair over her shoulder. "You will protect my son. You will make sure he doesn't get raped, beat, or even a hair on his head touched. Do I make myself clear?"

"Listen, Lady. Do tell me why I'd do this? That boy of yours is a pretty young thing. Not me, but there are a few men in here that are going to love him." George chuckled maliciously. "A boy that looks like that is going to be very popular here. Protecting him is going to be very difficult."

"Mr. Wilcox, listen close before you make the rash decision not to protect my son." Karen pulled out another photo. "This is your son. He is graduating next year. He is a mediocre student with little finances. However, he wants to go to college. I can pay for that as well as help your sister take care of him. Your sister has three other children with a dead beat husband. I can take care of them financially and it will all be thanks to you. Wouldn't you want your son to think his father made sure he went to college. Why must the only memory be of his father the fact he killed his mother?"

"It has been a long time since a person has called me Mr. Wilcox. I like it." George leaned up. "Okay. I'll do it. I'll take care of your boy. What did he do? Rob a bank? Steal a car? Into drugs?"

Karen grinned. "He killed his aunt when he was eleven. He is accused of killing another person. But of course, he's innocent of that."

"Of course." George shook his head. He thought about protecting the boy. _Reality check, George. You're going to be protecting a serial killer. Great._

* * *

Danny handed all his belongings over to the facility officer. The nurse checked over him and did all the routine checks. Danny was used to this part of it. It was very similar to juvie. But what he wasn't used to was the men in line in front and behind him. He was used to boys like himself. These were men not boys.

The nurse glanced at Danny's belongings. She picked up the ultrasound image.

"Is this yours?" She asked as she glanced from Danny to the officer in charge of new inmates.

"Yeah. That is of my baby." Danny smiled lightly. "I'm allowed to keep that aren't I?"

"Sure." Said the large man that was watching from afar. " That is about the only thing you can have in this place. Photos."

"Well, I'm sure you're twins will be gorgeous." The nurse laid the black and white image down. "Clean bill of health, Bob. You better watch this one close. He's young and pretty."

"Yeah. He'll be going to his cell in the morning. We got a group going from here to Metropolitan. He's the youngest of them." The officer stated as he shoved Danny down the line. "Move on down, kid. We got to keep the line going."

Danny glanced at the correctional officer. "Bob, did she say 'twins'?"

* * *

**Note: I know, I know...twins is so fanfic ish. LOL But I couldn't decide what i wanted for the baby girl/or boy. This way I have my options open until I decide if they will actually have both twins survive, or the girl, or the boy..or any baby at all. So this was a way for me to keep my options without writing myself in a corner. **


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 16: Meeting the Inmates**

Dr. Klein had counseled inmates at Metropolitan Correctional Facility for almost 30 years. He felt as if he was chained to this prison as much as the inmates at times. He would be there every time a new prisoner on cell block A was coming in. Cell block A was the home for the hardened criminals that consisted of killers, rapists, gang violence and other type of violent crimes. He wasn't surprised when he saw grown men being escorted in. Once in a while, he even saw the younger men. Rarely did he see anyone one under the age of 18 walk down the halls. It happened but the occurrence was rare. Most of the time, those of younger years were usually in juvenile detention centers. But on occasion, there was a boy that happened to do too much at too young of an age. That boy was then placed here among the hardened criminals.

Unfortunately, today was one of those days. Dr. Klein held his clipboard as he watched the new inmate being escorted down the hall by Tobias. Tobias was one of the tougher guards at this place. He was fair but didn't take any thing from the prisoners. He was respected and hated all at once.

"Move it, kid." Tobias shoved Danny slightly trying to get the kid to move quicker down the hall that was lined with cells.

Danny kept his head high as the men in each cell jeered.

_"Wooohooo. Fresh meat."'_

_"I think I'm in love." _

_"Dang, Christmas is coming early."_

A few kissing sounds and curses also echoed around Danny. Tobias kept a stern face as he continued to shove Danny along the hall. Danny stumbled but kept himself from falling. He tumbled into the bars of a cell. The inmate in the cell nudged his cellmate.

"He's falling for me already, Rusty." The bald man, with various tattoos, smiled showing his rotting teeth. "Sorry, I don't go for your kind. I'd rather gut your dark-skinned *$$."

Danny noted the tattoos taking them in as he sized up the inmate. He noticed a couple were of swastikas. Danny also noticed the man's head was shaved on purpose. The other man had the same type tattoos as well as a bald head.

Danny squared back his shoulders and stared at the prisoner. Danny stared deadpan into the inmate's eyes before turning to his cellmate. "Rusty, tell your girlfriend that is a good thing. I don't go for his kind either. But maybe I'll make him a necklace anyway just to see how it fits."

Tobias arched his eyebrow as Danny pulled his linens to him and continued walking ahead of Tobias. Dr. Klein sighed out making a note of Danny's exchange with the prisoner.

The inmate yelled after Danny. "Come back here, pretty boy! I don't swing that way! But I can introduce you to some that do!" Rusty's cellmate was irate.

Rusty glanced over at his cellmate and added."Necklace? What the ***** is that supposed to mean?"

Tobias couldn't help but lean in and give the racist inmate a big toothy grin. "He killed his aunt with a jump rope at age eleven. Strangled her to death. So take that as how you want to."

George shook his head before glancing at the young boy headed his way. Didn't he know to leave the skin heads alone? They weren't worth the sweat to kill one of them. It was going to be a challenge to keep the kid safe.

"This is your new home, Desai." Tobias nodded for George to step back. "Open cell 3225. New inmate 177743 is now entering."

The cell opened allowing Danny to step in. Danny shuddered when the cell door closed him in like a cage closing around a wild animal. Danny closed his eyes fighting back the fear that he felt inside. He knew it would be very dangerous to him to show fear in a place like this. It was in juvie. He could only imagine how much worse it would be here.

Danny walked over and placed his sheet and pillow on the top bunk. George looked up at the kid as he laid on the bottom bunk. The boy's mama definitely wasn't joking around when she said her son would be his new roommate. George had been a cellmate to Rosco for ten years. Now, Rosco was suddenly moved to another cell while this new kid was placed in the cell with George. George figured the warden really did like petite blondes.

"Just because your mama has pull with the warden doesn't mean you have free reign here, kid." George spoke up as he watched Danny spread out his sheet. "I'll do what I can to protect you like she is paying me to do. But don't go riling up others. The best thing to do is to keep that mouth shut and take it."

Danny crawled up in his bunk. He should have known his mother would have his back. He knew how desperate and how low his mother would put herself for him. That had to be love. No matter what the world thought of Karen's ways of getting things done, she still came through.

Danny ran his hand through his long hair. "I know when to keep my mouth shut. But I also know when to speak up. I'm sure an intelligent man like yourself will show me the ropes if I get out of line too much."

George cracked a smile as he glanced at the bottom of the bunk above him. "You're full of $^8% , kid."

* * *

The first counseling session was about introducing the new guy to the cell block. Although, a lot of prisons didn't have counseling, it was a project that Metropolitan prided itself in. Dr. Klein's work wasn't about getting the men out of this place, it was about keeping peace in the place for the long term inmates.

Dr. Klein looked around at the ten men assigned to the group. He made sure Tobias as well as the three other guards were ready and in place in case in trouble happened. Usually, this was the only time that inmates didn't act up. Good behavior was definitely noted in the sessions.

"This is Danny Desai." Dr. Klein spoke. "He is George's new cell mate."

Danny pushed back his hair as he glanced around the room. All the men were much older than him. The next to him in age was probably a man that looked young but was more like twenty in age.

"Okay, Danny, tell us how you feel today?" The old man rubbed the bridge of his nose allowing his glasses to dip down almost falling off his round face.

His graying hair was probably caused by most of the men in this place. Especially those like the boy he was addressing. Mainly it was due to Danny's youth. A kid at age of sixteen didn't belong in a place like this. Because of that, Danny Desai would probably end up being his favorite and least favorite person in the Metropolitan Correctional Facility. The place was simply called the joint to most in this dreary place.

"Excellent." Danny smirked then added a charming smile and noted with sarcasm. "After all, I have only 20 years left in this place."

"Are you excited to be getting a visit from your parents in a couple of weeks?" Dr. Klein breathed out. At least with Danny, he'd get the manipulative charming answers and not the hate comments the others in the group spewed. That is what he has surmised from the brief encounter with the kid that morning.

One of the other men chuckled before speaking up. "Dr. Klein didn't read his emails this morning. The kid's daddy is dead."

The inmate who was speaking was named Reggie. This man was known for using the internet constantly during his downtime for research. Most of the research was on the other inmates. It was his way of keeping sane and up to date with the life he was living. The internet had certain sites blocked during recreational time. However, research in public records was allowed due to research for appeals and such.

"Excuse me." Dr. Klein pushed back his glasses to their proper place on his face.

"Danny's pop decided drowning himself was a better option than living with his deranged son." The same man laughed loudly.

"Maybe he was afraid he'd be the next with a rope around his neck." An inmate named Luke, stated with smile. His rotted teeth making him look older than his 22 years.

The chorus of laughter echoed around the room. Danny folded his arms over his chest remaining calm. He would not let these delinquents see him cry. No one would see that again from him. It was strange that the insults hurled at him was norm for Danny. It happened in Green Grove and it happened in Juvie. Now it was happening here. However, in juvie, the same boys would be his friend out of group therapy. Danny realized it was easier for the boys to taunt one another than reveal their real emotions. The difference was that these were men. Some had no hopes of ever seeing outside of the facility. So the taunting was much more about breaking someone than hiding feelings.

"I'm sorry, Danny." Dr. Klein felt embarrassed by his lack of knowledge.

Danny shrugged nonchalantly. "Why are you sorry? You didn't tell him to get drunk and fall off of the company yacht. At least he went out in style, right? Besides.." Danny glanced at Reggie as he spoke. "I'm sorry, I didn't get you're name."

"Reggie." The man scowled at the kid.

"Reginald didn't go further with his research." Danny smirked. "My old man miraculously came back to life."

"Sounds like a soap opera to me." Stephan interjected. He leaned over to whisper into Danny's ear. "My name is Stephan. I can be the leading man if you will be the leading lady. I can replace Lacey. Reginald said according to the paper, you have a girl named Lacey."

Danny's eyes narrowed as he quickly drove the palm of his hand up to the center of Stephan's nose. Stephan fell backward out of his chair as Danny placed his foot on the chair leg and pulled quickly.

"Desai!" Dr. Klein warned as he stood up.

"What?" Danny glanced up. "Stephan is clumsy." He glared down at the man holding his nose. "Right, Stephan?"

"Yeah." Stephan mumbled as his hand cupped over his bloody nose.

Dr. Klein pressed the call button. "I need a nurse."

The guards that watched the session stood motionless. The broken nose wasn't that big of a deal compared to the fights they had broken up. Besides, Danny Desai was new and young. They wondered how he was going to survive in this place. It was going to be entertaining watching the kid.

Danny bent down taking Stephan by the hand. He whispered. "Never, ever let Lacey's name come from your lips again. Understand?"

Stephan nodded as he allowed Danny to help him up. The nurse was soon leading Stephan from the room to the medical room.

Dr. Klein glanced over at Danny. He was the only boy there that had murdered someone in cold blood. The others were men. Dr. Klein had read up on Danny. It was disturbing that Danny never spoke of his reason for killing his own aunt when he was only eleven.

Stephan was there for selling drugs. The drug sale went bad and Stephan shot his own supplier to save himself. The others were there for various other crimes. All crimes were violence related.

Dr. Klein ran his eyes over the list of men wondering who of them was the least to cause him trouble. He wasn't in the room to listen to dribble today. Especially after the Desai boy's display. "Dillon, what is happening you'd like to share?"

Dillon was in the center for a drug related offense as well. He held a family member at bay while his partner in crime killed a man inside his home for drugs. Dillon rolled on his partner and got a lesser sentence than his partner. He had only been there eight months and would be released after a three year sentence if he had good behavior.

"My girlfriend is seeing if I can go to California with her when I get out." A smile creased the face of the man. His red hair and freckled face made him look younger than his twenty-five years. "We don't know yet though."

"That sounds good." Dr. Klein noticed Danny picking at his fingernails. The boy was a conundrum already. Not even Dr. Klein could tell if he was sociopath, psychopath or just a kid who was manipulatively charming.

"My mama is having her seventh kid." Kobe butted in as he bounced. He was extremely hyper and seemed to fidget all the time.

Dr. Klein knew this man was by far the most innocent here. He had taken his mother's boyfriend's car for a joyride. Having six children in poverty, his mother was more than willing to allow her live in boyfriend to press charges. Kobe would serve only six years for accidentally hitting a vehicle and killing the family in the car. Kobe was charged with vehicular homicide. He was twenty and the youngest in the group besides Danny Desia.

"That's a big family?" Danny feigned interest.

"Yeah." Kobe grinned revealing his crooked teeth. His dark brown hair was in a buzz cut. His sky blue eyes contrasted with the darkness of his hair. Kobe's skin was pale in color.

"Cool." Danny added. He looked at Reggie.

Reggie was a tall man with ebony skin. His hair was in an Afro that seemed to be Reggie's main concern. He seemed to always be looking in a mirror making sure his hair was neat and perfect. It was his hair that he felt gave him something to be proud of. He really did have a wonderful head of tight black curls.

Reggie was in the facility for a drive by shooting. It had killed a rival gang member. However, Reggie hadn't even seen who he had killed. It was quick as he drove by shooting his gun as the car went by.

He had been there since he was eighteen. Reggie was now twenty five. He would get out when he was thirty-three and not a day sooner. His dark brown eyes peered up at Danny. Danny smirked as he ran his hands through his own long tendrils of hair.

Danny mouthed. "Mine is better."

"What are you looking at you mother..." Reggie dove towards Danny without warning.

The man grappled with Danny as they each threw violent punches into each other's body. Neither did much damage before the guards were pulling Reggie off of Danny. Reggie was pulled away as he screamed profanity at Danny.

Dr. Klein looked at Danny. "Two down and five to go. Is that your goal today, Desai, to get the room cleared out early? I told you that you were permitted out of the session before it began if you feel uncomfortable."

Danny shrugged innocently. "I didn't do anything."

George laughed as he glanced at Danny. He wasn't sure what the kid was trying to prove but it was entertaining to watch the kid work.

Danny had charmed his way with the guards and any other authority figure in only two days.

"Danny's trying to get hurt, Dr. Klein." Luke chimed in. He had been the one goading Danny over his father's death. "He knows that today he has to do yard time. He'll have a hard time keeping safe there."

Danny shot Luke a warning glare. His jaw twitched as he narrowed his eyes on Luke. Luke wasn't afraid of Danny. He was probably the best fighter there. He had grown up abused by an alcoholic father, who he almost killed at age thirteen. He was in prison for attempted murder of his mother's new husband. He was now twenty-six.

"Why isn't Danny picking at Scott then?" Kobe practically squeaked out.

Dr. Klein raised an eyebrow knowing the reason.

"Seems the new kid knows who to upset and who not to." Scott answered for him. "Denny doesn't want to ruin that friendship thing he has going on with us old farts."

"Oh. I get it." Kobe slouched in his seat. "His name is Danny, by the way."

"I know, Douche bag." Scott stated between gritted teeth. "I'm old not senile."

"Danny, I think you need to get to know your fellow inmates before antagonizing them." Dr. Klein straightened up in his seat.

"I find nothing inappropriate about how I'm treating my fellow inmates." Danny smirked gauging Dr. Klein's reaction. "They know I'm only sixteen. I'd never do such a thing."

"I read your file. You're a freakin' serial killer." Charlie blurted out without thinking. "I mean..."

Danny rolled his eyes at Charlie's slip of tongue. "Isn't my file sealed. How did you get a hold of it?"

"You're an idiot, Chuckie." George scoffed. "You need to keep your nose out of the kid's business."

"I hear that Stephan wants his smooches." Scott started making kissing sounds. "I also hear that the female nurse has plans for him later."

Danny shook his head before turning to Dr. Klein. The old man was twisting his pen nervously.

"Would you like to go back to your cell, Danny." Dr. Klein asked with a hint of anger and disgust in his voice.

"No." Danny stated quickly. He turned to Scott. "I'm already taken. Tell the nurse thanks but I'm already taken. "

"His imaginary Queen Lacey." Luke gave Kobe a high five. "His little girlfriend from when he was eleven. If she's real, Danny, she's already hooked up with plenty of guys."

Danny was the one to explode this time. He jumped from his seat taking down both Kobe and Luke with a clothesline type tackle. He was kicking and throwing his fists wildly. Both guards pulled at Danny, who continued to throw punches and kicks in midair.

"Solitary confinement, Dr. Klein?" One of the guards asked as they held Danny down on the floor.

"No." Dr. Klein scratched his chin. "Take him to his cell. He just got in today. Let him cool off."

George glanced at Scott. Scott shook his head. "You're new roommate is crazy."

"Yeah." George agreed.

Luke spoke up addressing the group. "He's too crazy to mess with. He's psychotic. Desai doesn't know when to not act violent. He killed his own aunt with a freakin' jump rope and knocked a girl in the head for coming on to him. Reggie told me all about it."

George already figured Danny Desai out. He was crazy like a fox. If the kid had all the men thinking he was a psychopath, maybe he had a chance to survive in a place like this.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 17: One Long Week**

_Lacey held her breath when she heard her mother on the phone with Tess Masterson. She heard the words clearly. Lacey fought the urge to break down in tears thinking about how he'd feel at the news._

_"Thanks for calling, Tess." Judy raked her hand over the edge of the kitchen counter in a nervous gesture. "Are you going to the funeral?' Judy paused waiting on Tess's answer. "I don't think I'll go either. I cared a lot for Vikram and Karen. But Vikram's funeral will have the Desais eyeing Karen angrily. They still seem to blame her for Danny killing Tara. I hope Karen has her family there for support. Poor thing has to be there when Danny gets out all by herself." Another long pause. "That's a good idea. I'll send flowers too. Thanks for giving me the address of the memorial service."_

_Judy hung up the phone before glancing at Lacey. "I guess you heard that."_

_"I saw it on the early morning news." Lacey admitted. "They made it more about Danny murdering Tara than Mr. Desai's death. I wonder how Danny is handling it? He was really close to his dad."_

_"Danny Desai quit being our concern when he took a life." Judy stated sternly. "Now finishing eating your breakfast so you can get to school." Judy turned as she yelled. "Clara Porter, you have five more minutes or I will make you ride the bus."_

_Lacey watched as her mother marched out of the room to get her little sister in gear. Lacey bit her lip nervously as she tapped in the number on her phone. She took a deep breath before pushing send._

_"Hello." One of the boys had another in a headlock as he picked up the phone. It was only allowed to be answered by the staff but the boy had heard it ring and grabbed it. "May I help you?"_

_"Lance Parker, what do you think your doing?" The portly secretary jerked the phone from Lance's hand. "Give me that phone and let loose of Timmy."_

_"I was only helping you, Mrs. Kindle." He laughed as he watched the female glare at him with her dark green eyes._

_"Sure." Mrs. Kindle nodded her head to the general area. "Go back in there before I call a guard."_

_Lance let loose of Timmy, who dashed away to be next to Danny. He laughed as he sauntered out of the office._

_She knew it was her fault that Lance even got into the area. But having too many cups of coffee caused an urgent need to use the bathroom. She forgot to press the code back in to separate the office from the general area. The code was the general code that took less digits. Mrs. Kindle knew the rules were to open with a specific code that only opened the door to the bathroom. However, she was in a hurry. The general code had less digits in case a guard needed to get to the boys in case of an emergency._

_"May I help you?" Mrs. Kindle asked as she pressed in the code before settling in her desk chair._

_Lacey glanced around making sure her mother wasn't near. "Yes. I was checking on Danny Desai."_

_"I'm sorry." Mrs. Kindle could tell it was a young girl's voice. "None of our residents are allowed calls but on certain days as well as you have to be on the calling list."_

_"No." Lacey stated quickly. "I don't want to talk to him." She inhaled again. "I wanted to make sure he is okay. His dad died today. They were close. Is he okay?"_

_Mrs. Kindle allowed a smile to grace her wrinkled face. "I'm sorry, Child. But I can't allow information on our residents here." She glanced over the general area. Danny sat in the corner of the room playing chess with Phillip, a younger boy of the age 12. "But it seems all our boys are doing fine. Some are even playing chess and such."_

_Lacey smiled slightly. "Thank you. I'm sorry to bother you."_

_"It's fine. Have a nice day." Mrs. Kindle pecked at her computer screen. "Danny is one of favorites here. Don't let anyone know I said that."_

_With those words, both females hung up the phone._

Lacey blinked as she pulled herself out of the memory from the day Vikram had supposedly died. She remembered how worried she was about Danny. However, she never let any one know. That included Danny. Today was different. Lacey still worried for Danny but it was no longer a secret. She worried that he was being hurt or abused. She worried that he'd not make it back to her. And if by the grace of God, Danny did finally return to her, would he be a changed person?_  
_

"Here." Clara placed the tray on Lacey's night stand. "Mom said eat all the soup and at least half the sandwich."

"Thanks." Lacey inhaled the scent of tomato soup and grilled cheese. She was starting to keep things down a little.

Clara sat down on Lacey's bed. "Are you really thinking about living with Karen Desai in that house?"

Lacey took a bite of her sandwich. She chewed slowly knowing that would help the food stay down. "Yeah. I've been in that house a lot, Clara. There are good memories there as well as the one bad one."

"Like creating the babies you're carrying." Clara teased. "I bet that is a good memory."

"You're so awful." Lacey giggled a little before taking a spoonful of soup and swallowing. "Are you staying in here to make sure I eat?"

"Yep. Mom's orders." Clara pulled her legs up on the bed and criss-crossed them under her. She stared at Lacey for a few minutes. "Have you got to talk to Danny?"

"Not yet." Lacey slid up farther on her bed. "The list is only for immediate family but Mrs. Desai is taking care of that. However, she also said that Danny gets to call if he has good behavior for ten minutes on a community pay phone. I am to make sure I am there to answer." Lacey ran her hand over her abdomen. "It isn't like I'm allowed to get out of bed for a week anyway."

"True." Judy walked into the room. She heard Lacey's words. "Your doctor said a week of complete bed rest."

* * *

Danny had went a week without hearing from Lacey. Karen had explained that there were rules that she was trying to get fixed. He had called his mother once. He had spoke to his father briefly but it was about the case against him. Danny wasn't ready to run open arms to his father yet.

Danny sat down on an old bench in the yard. No one seemed to bother him. It was a well known fact that George was his protector. It was also a well known fact that Danny was a little crazy in the head. Well, that was the popular belief among the inmates on cell block A.

"Did you hear?" Rusty leaned in to whisper to Frank, his cell mate. "George accidentally dropped a laundry drum on his foot. He is in medical right now."

"I heard." Frank allowed his cigarette to hang from his mouth as he stared at Danny sitting by himself. "All the freak does is read books. Is the freakin' Indian reading up on rain dances or something?"

Stephan glanced up at Frank. "He's not that kind of Indian, jerk."

"Watch it, Fruitcake." Rusty warned. "We don't like your lifestyle no more than Desai's skin color."

"Whatever." Stephan stood up. "I don't like the way it smells over here anyway. It smells like rotting flesh."

Rusty watched as Stephan twisted away. "That fruit thinks he's a girl."

"Whatever. I'm not interested in Rainbow Bright anyway." Frank allowed a few ashes to fall from his cigarette. "I'd rather see the deranged kid be completely annihilated."

"What do you have in mind?" Rusty sniffed as he glanced at Danny. "Best time to react is when George is gone."

Frank nodded towards Danny. "I don't think we have to worry about it. Looks like pretty boy has a visitor."

"Haha." Rusty laughed. "Nineteen is about to make Danny his b$%ch. No way can a kid that size get Marcus off of him."

"The kid has it coming." Frank winked. "I am going to enjoy the kid screaming. Watch for the guards. Make sure they don't see anything until Desai is laying on the ground weeping. Then Marcus's nickname can be twenty."

"Got it." Rusty nodded to a few other inmates that hung out with them. If they had to, a fight would break out to deter the guards from Danny being attacked by Marcus.

"Hey, kid." Marcus, who stood about six foot five inches, towered over Danny. "You're new here. I've been wanting to introduce myself. I'm Marcus but my friends call me nineteen."

Danny held his hand over his forehead trying to block the sun from his eyes. He stated in a monotone voice. "Marcus."

"Do you know why I'm called nineteen?" Marcus crossed his arms over his broad chest. His biceps flexed as he did.

"For your I.Q." Danny smirked as he continued to read his book.

"No." Marcus growled out. "Because that is how many people I've raped. I plan on being called twenty now. You're my b&*ch now, Danny boy."

Marcus grabbed Danny by the hair and jerked him up. The guards were busy breaking up a planned argument by other inmates.

Scott noticed what was going on and nudged Reggie. "Looks like the boy doesn't have George on his side. Maybe we should help him."

"Why?" Reggie gritted his teeth. "The kid may have it coming."

"No one has that coming." Scott stood up. Some of the other inmates followed his lead towards Marcus and Danny.

Before they could make it over to him, they saw Marcus pull off Danny's shirt roughly. Scott was confused when he saw Danny smirk. But the confusion left when he heard Marcus scream in pain.

In one swift moment, Danny had retrieved a plastic utensil from his book. Danny had sharpened a fork point into a makeshift knife. He swiftly went back with the shank with full force right into Marcus's testicles. After Marcus fell down in severe pain, Danny wrapped his shirt around Marcus's neck.

"Who is the b*&ch now?" Danny stated in monotone voice. There was no excitement or emotion as he spoke. "The best part about strangling someone..." Danny noticed some inmates gathering around. Therefore, he took the opportunity to play this up for his advantage. "...is the power is all in my hands. I can make it slow causing the breath to slowly stop filling the lungs or I can make it quick." Danny allowed his eyes to turn into a menacing stare. "I chose real slow with my aunt. She had this look of fear as she gurgled on her own blood." Danny pulled the shirt tighter around Marcus's neck. "There is nothing like the joy of your first kill. Maybe they should give me a number for my kills." Danny smirked. "However, I did start at age eleven. I forgot the count."

Danny pulled the shirt from Marcus's neck as he saw some approaching guards. Danny stepped back from Marcus after pulling the shank from Marcus's groin. He slowly placed the shank back into the book binding as he removed himself from the situation. The guard finally pushed through the crowd.

"What the heck?" The guard yelled out. "Who did this?"

"I think Marcus fell on something, Tobias." Stephan spoke up as he twirled his blonde hair around his finger. "He's bleeding."

Tobias called for some other guards to help him with Marcus. He glanced at Danny, who was alone once more reading his book. The guards helped Marcus out of the yard.

"He's crazy." Rusty swallowed nervously. "That kid is crazy."

Danny glanced up from his book as if he heard Rusty. In reality, Danny figured Rusty and Frank had been watching. Danny smirked as he made a kiss towards them both.

"Crazy." Frank rubbed his neck.

* * *

"I wanted to hurt him." Danny admitted as he stared at the counselor. The other inmates glanced over at the youngest among them. "I wish I had hurt him."

"Why? Why do you want to hurt this boy?" Dr. Klein glanced at the other inmates. "Why do you think Danny wants to hurt him?"

"Danny said he was a guy from some math team. Maybe Danny hates smart people." George stated gruffly as he placed his wrapped foot on a stool beside of Danny. "I don't like smart people."

"That's because you have an I.Q. of a rock." Scott stated as he laughed. "Besides, Danny is probably smarter than the nerd. He hurt someone Danny cares about."

Danny balled up his fists as he closed his eyes. He saw his fists hitting Doug over and over. He had no idea about the slut shaming Lacey had endured due to Doug's perversion until a few days ago. Jo had slipped up during her phone call. Lacey and he were due to talk today as well. However, the phones were shut down due to a major incident on another cell block.

"What did he do, kid?" George leaned up causing his large biceps to flex involuntarily.

"He recorded me and my girlfriend having sex without us knowing. He sent it to the entire school." Danny answered still clinching his eyes closed and his fists tight. "Those people hurt her with awful words just because of what I am not because of what she is. She's good. I'm not."

Dillon,who tried to get the kid's attention, touched Danny's arm. Danny jumped up and began to pound his fists against Dillon's face. George jumped up pulling Danny off the adult inmate before the guards could do so.

"Danny boy, stop! Stop!" George held Danny at bay. He could feel the kid collapse into a heap. George looked up at the counselor. "He needs some down time, Doc."

The doctor shook his head in agreement as he motioned for the guards to take Danny back to his cell. George glanced at the other inmates.

"He's a little high strung." George settled back down in his chair.

"How long has he been here?" Maxwell, a new inmate, asked as he watched Dillon being escorted from the room. "And why do you protect him?"

"I'm paid to." George said. "He's only been here a week. But the way I hear it, he's been in juvie before this joint. He's been incarcerated most of his life."

"Is that true, Doc?" A thin man, who had spent over fifty years in prison, asked. He was put in this group session due to his group had decided to turn on him over his hate for Rusty and Frank. "Is this kid a lifer?"

The counselor glanced up from his notes. "I can't talk about that. Danny's juvenile records are sealed."

"He just answered it." Maxwell laughed. "He has been in juvie. How old is your roomie, George?"

"Sixteen." George stated as he rubbed his chin. "He killed his own aunt at age eleven."

"Well, Shiat." Carl, an inmate who was there for embezzling government funds, spoke up. "That is some bad news there. He's a lifer now for sure. He's in here for murdering some rich b**ch."

Carl had been moved to the group due to a fight that broke out in his cell block. It resulted in another inmate's death.

"Danny Desai isn't here to speak for himself. You all have been here long enough to know the rules. If the inmate is out of the room, his story is off limits." Dr. Klein sighed out. "Let's call this early today. I need to fill out a safety report on Dillon."

* * *

"Are you okay, Kid?" George climbed in the bunk under Danny. "You kind of lost it today. Be careful. Okay? Most of these guys are a lot bigger than you are. You're a kid to them but they won't put up with much. What's going on with you anyway?"

Danny stared up at the ceiling. "I'm going to be a dad."

George stared up at the bunk above him. He could barely see an indention of Danny laying on it. Danny was so young to be here and so young to be a dad. George allowed the silence to envelope them. He knew the kid had to be thinking about being a father to a child he may never meet.

"Do you want a boy or a girl?" George tried to make light of the situation. The kid seemed to be depressed and in need of some type of break.

"I want a healthy baby. We're having twins. Maybe we'll get both." Danny smiled slightly. "If it is a girl though, she will be too beautiful if my daughter would look anything like her mother. I wouldn't want any guy getting near my daughter. I'd hate to kill..." Danny snickered. "again."

Tobias came up to Danny's cell. "Phones are fixed. That means you get to make that call, Desai."

Danny practically leaped out of bed. He was relieved that his behavior wasn't taken into account for the phone call. It seemed Dr. Klein left a lot out of his reports when it came to Danny's behavior. It seemed the guards did the same for the charismatic teen.

"Ten minutes, Desai." Tobias stated as he sided up to the payphone in the common's area of the New York State Penitentiary.

The other prisoners sat waiting their turn. Each prisoner was allotted a ten minute interval once a week. There were visiting days but the ten minutes was an added bonus for well behaved inmates.

"Lace." Danny breathed out. His next words came out without a buffer when he heard her sweet voice say hello. Danny didn't even know why he said the words. Sure, he was thinking them but saying what he thought usually wasn't the case for him. He knew what to say, when to say it, and how to say it. That was who Danny Desai was. However, this time Danny blurted out his words in a panted breath. "I want to be inside of you."

* * *

**Author's note: I forgot to leave an author's note that I wanted to. So I went and edited. The last line is to show Danny is off kilter when it comes to Lacey. Yes, his words were sexual but it wasn't about his wanting sex as much as to show that Danny doesn't function the same when it comes to Lacey. He blurts out things, he desires her so much that he forgets to be the manipulative/charming person he is. This chapter was to convey that he lost all sense of himself when he thought he wasn't going to get to speak to her that day. Therefore, the last line was to show is basic need to have Lacey. I debated on the last line worrying it may be too crass for Danny to say to Lacey but I felt it showed his raw passion for her. I am very picky over lines I don't want to cross in my fics due to personal religious beliefs. Thus,the reason for my note. Thanks for all the great feedback on here and tumblr. Thanks for your continued support. ~ Dawn**


	19. Chapter 19

_**Chapter 18: Whisper You Love Me**_

The other inmates cheered and whistled at Danny's words. Tobias arched his eyebrow at the young inmate. Danny bit his lip then licked it. He waited for Lacey to answer as he wished he could take back his utterance. Danny ran his hand nervously through his hair.

"Lace, I'm sorry. Don't be mad. I shouldn't have said that." Danny's voice was pleading as he spoke in a low tone.

Lacey grinned sheepishly despite Danny not being able to see her. "I want that too."

Danny smirked as the words coming from Lacey were whispered seductively into the phone. "Yeah. Mother is still working on getting you visitation." He glanced at Tobias when he heard Lacey's next unexpected question.

"Since you were tried as an adult, will they allow conjugal visits?" Lacey shook her leg nervously as she leaned back into her pillow. It was much easier asking private questions of Danny when they were over the phone.

"Umm." Danny rubbed his neck nervously. "I can ask. But won't your mom put a stop to that?"

Lacey chuckled slightly before adding to their conversation."I thought your mom may tell you. She's invited me to live with her. Mom is going to sign guardianship over to your mom for a few months while she and Clara go to Seattle. I'm sure your mom won't even ask about our visits. Are you allowed to request that for yourself?"

"Seriously?" Danny practically bounced at that news. "I...I'll definitely see." He stammered out as he thought about any visit with Lacey. But a conjugal visit was definitely something to look forward to. Danny paused when he saw Tobias point at his watch. "Lace, I can't wait to talk to you about the twins. I mean...wow...two babies. We're having two babies. Are you okay? Are you sick still? Is every thing okay?"

Lacey smiled despite the fact that she was put on bed rest. She would keep that to herself. Danny had to worry about. There was no way she wanted to add to list his list of worries. "I'm fine now that I've heard your voice."

"Lacey, I do miss you. My lawyer said he has some good news about getting a change of venue for the appeal." Danny breathed out. "I'm sorry I keep bringing this up but I am excited we're having twins. I don't want you to risk your health. Take care of yourself and our babies."

"Danny, will you do something for me?" Lacey thought about all the men in the room with him. She thought of watching '_Remember the Titans_' where the girl made the jock football player say he loved her in front of all of them. She didn't want Danny to get embarrassed around a bunch of grown men.

"Anything." Danny stated quickly.

"Whisper you love me." Lacey bit her lip as a smile formed across her face. Her dimples appeared at the next words from Danny.

"Baby, I don't have to whisper. I'll shout that to the world." Danny stated proudly. "I love you."

"I love you too." Lacey stated in a hushed tone.

"Time is up, Desai." Tobias warned. "Tell your girl bye."

"I have to go, Lacey." Danny made a kissing sound. "I love you. Tell the babies I love them for me."

Lacey heard the phone hang up. She threw herself backwards on the bed. She kicked her legs and flailed her arms excited as she squealed in delight.

"Daddy loves you." She sang out happily. "Daddy loves you. We're going to be happy soon. I just know it!"

Judy stood outside of Lacey's bedroom door. She leaned against the hall wall. It had been a while since she heard her daughter so happy. Judy had been bringing Clara's laundry upstairs when she heard Lacey giggling and squealing happily. Judy had to stop and listen to her oldest daughter. A tear rolled down Judy's cheek as she continued to lean against the hall wall.

"That's the little girl I used to know." Judy whispered to no one but herself. After all, it was herself that needed to hear her words due to be reminded of the fact. "I love you so much, Lacey."

* * *

Tobias escorted Danny back out to the yard. "You don't seem to be making a lot of friends, Desai. You're always off reading and not interacting with the others."

"I guess they don't like my charming personality." Danny laughed as he walked away pulling out his book from his back pocket.

"The medics were telling me that Marcus had a strange puncture wound in him. Right in his groin. He may lose a testicle." Tobias stared at Danny. "You wouldn't happened to have seen anything?"

"Like you said. I'm usual off by myself reading my book." Danny held up his book as he looked at Tobias. "Did you ask him?"

"He's not talking. We're all assuming that he was trying to harm another inmate and the inmate got him first." Tobias kept staring at Danny trying to gauge the boy's reaction.

Danny was a master at keeping his face stoic. He shrugged nonchalantly. "I'll keep my ears open. But if Marcus isn't talking, I doubt any one else is."

"Yeah. You're probably right." Tobias nodded towards George. "Your adopted daddy is watching you. What is the deal with the protection detail?"

"Mom pays for my protection." Danny laughed slightly. "So you guards don't have to worry about any one messing with me."

"Hmmm. Like Marcus?" Tobias raised his eyebrow knowingly.

"Exactly." Danny sat down and opened his book. He began to read.

"Wasn't George in medical when Marcus got hurt?" Tobias was still trying to get Danny to show some sign of remorse, regret, fear, or guilt. NOTHING so far.

"Was he?" Danny gave no hint of emotion. "Interesting. Because I'm sure George would have noticed something if he was here. After all, he's known to be observant."

"Go back to reading, kid." Tobias chortled as he shook his head. "You know you have a lot of them fooled. Even some of the guards. Half of them think you're crazy. I think you're a manipulative shiat."

Danny smirked as he continued to read the book before him. He never claimed or denied what Tobias said. Danny continued to keep reading.

"So are you going to be a dad?" Tobias thought he'd get to know more about this kid another way.

Getting to know Danny may be good for his career. He was sure that Danny's mother was in good with the warden. There was no harm in that. The warden was a single man. The fact the man was dedicated to work was his only problem with a dating life. He was a handsome man and made a good living. The warden's name was Jack Cisco. He was well known for his fairness with inmates as well as the guards. Therefore, when Danny Desai got to be placed in with George even though Rosco had seniority in the prison, they knew the man was smitten. After seeing Danny's mother, they all knew why.

It was the first Danny showed emotion. Danny smiled broadly as he pulled out the ultrasound image from his book. "Yeah. Twins."

"Really?" Tobias took the paper. "That's great. I don't mean to be nosey but is your girl as young as you are?"

Danny shook his head. "You mean to be nosey. But that's okay. I love to talk about Lacey. She's the same age as me. We know we have a long road ahead of us. But we'll make it. She always assures me we'll get through together."

Tobias nodded as he handed back the ultrasound image to Danny. "Good luck, kid. I hope it works out for you."

Frank nudged Rusty. He looked over at one of Marcus's friends as well. "That little piece of paper looks awful important to the crazy freak." Frank spit on the ground. "I wonder how crazy he'd go if that paper happened to be destroyed?"


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's NOTE: This needs a sexual warning. NOT in a smut way. You'll understand when you read. It isn't too graphic but the situation is very sexual in nature. So you are warned! **

**Chapter 19: Dreams Turn into Nightmares**

Danny stared up at the ceiling as his mind played his conversation with Lacey. He thought of how they started with the lustful utterances but ended with excitement over the twins. He wasn't sure what made him crave Lacey the moment he heard her voice. Perhaps, it was normal for a sixteen year old boy. Perhaps, it was the fear he felt when Marcus had tried to rape him. He had played it cool knowing in a place like this ;if you didn't keep it together, you'd get hurt. It didn't stop the nagging feeling of being raped by a man. Danny wasn't one to think bad of homosexuality but rape was an entirely different thing. The fact was that Stephan was becoming one of Danny's good friends. But the fear of being forced into a sexual act by a man caused a shudder to envelop him. Being forced into that type act was always frightening.

Lacey was desired by him. There was no forcing her or himself. It was wanted. Danny's life hadn't always been like that. He'd faced life at being abused and harmed by another. Danny had promised himself that would never happen again to him. He was in control. He would remain in control. George could tell Danny was being extremely silent for the night. Therefore, he chose not to bother him.

Danny closed his eyes trying to sleep. He finally lulled off into a fitful sleep.

_Danny could feel Lacey's lips on his as he held her nude form against him. Their naked bodies slowly moved keeping a perfect rhythm with the flicker of the candles in her room. Lacey whispered his name as her fingers dug into his back causing him to grasp her waist to pull her harder against him._

_"Danny." Lacey sultry whispered as she slid her hands from his back to his chest. Her fingers lightly scraped his abdomen. "You're so gorgeous, My sweet Danny."_

_My sweet Danny? My sweet Danny? He was no longer in Lacey's bedroom but in the living room of Desai's home. Danny's body began to feel cold as Lacey's face slowly disappeared and another face appeared. This was no longer a girl but a woman. A woman's whose dark brown eyes were filled with a sickening lust._

_She spoke but in a whisper as her dark hair sweated and clung to her exposed chest. "You're so gorgeous, My sweet Danny."_

_Danny's body slowly morphed as his well-defined muscles changed into developing muscles of a eleven year old boy. His face contorted from pleasure of being with Lacey to fright. His eyes clinched shut as he tried to not allow tears to fall. This woman didn't like tears._

_"Mmm. You're getting so good at this, My sweet Danny." The woman bent and nipped at Danny's neck causing him to flinch. "I'm showing you how much I care about you. I know you like it when I touch you. Your body lets me know."_

_"Aunt Tara." Danny whispered with a shaky voice betraying his attempt at bravery. "Dad will get mad. He'll not like this."_

_"Your dad will never know, Danny." Tara laughed seductively as her fingers scratched lightly down Danny's young, scrawny body. "Never. I'd never betray us to him. I know you wouldn't. Would you, My sweet Danny?"_

_Danny shook his head no as he tried to squel_ch _the slow shattered breaths of the pleasure she was causing him. He closed his eyes again as he felt his young body react to the woman atop him. His confusion built more each time she snuck into his room at night. He wanted to be loved. Mostly, he wanted to be wanted. Tara did that. Didn't she?_

_Her words were words that he had longed to hear all his life from his own mother. With each movement of her adult body against his boyish one, she said she loved him. She was only showing him that love. Her whispered threats of him never being loved by any mother but her followed each movement as well. She dared Danny to tell saying his dad would hate him. Her words told of how his dad would blame him. Because he was the one that wanted this. She was only giving him what he wanted. Danny didn't want this. Or did he? All he knew was he wanted Tara to stop hitting him. Therefore, this was at least no hitting._

_She'd bend down at the end of their lovemaking (that is what she always told him it was) and say the same words. "It's our secret, My sweet Danny. You're dad will never know."_

_It was her eleventh time sneaking into his room. And her last. Danny would take matters into his own hands to stop her abuse of him. Pulling the jump rope around her neck gave him his life back. He killed Tara in the very spot that she had ripped his innocence away from him._

_The first time with her was also his first time with anyone, he was so frightened that he shook the whole time. He had begged her to stop. She whispered for him to let her show how much she wanted him. She whispered it was natural for him to want her back. She loved him._

_His nightmare turned into a memory of that time as well. A pleasing dream of finally being wanted to a nightmare of confusion._

_Danny had been so happy when Tara had began to be nice to him. Before that, he had been her secret punching bag. Maybe she could quit hitting him long enough to be his aunt. His dad had even slowed down the drinking. Life seemed to be better. That meant less yelling at Tara. Thus the hitting had slowed down as well. Tara had came to him the night his dad and mother had went on a date. Tara being nice was a welcomed surprise at first._

_"Aunt Tara." Danny rolled over in his bed. "Is that you?"_

_"Shh. My sweet Danny, it's me."_ _Tara laid beside him. She scooted her body against his. He could feel her body was only clad in a t-shirt._

_His breathing picked up as fear hit him that she'd hurt him like she had so many times in the past.. "What do you want?"_

_"Shh my sweet Danny, I love you." Tara whispered in his ear. "Don't you want to be loved? I'm the only one that loves you. You realize that. Don't you? Can I hug you?"_

_"Yes." Danny whispered back as he relaxed into her embrace. His first embrace from a woman that he could remember. Was this how it felt to have a mother love you?_

_Tara pulled Danny closer. She softly took her fingers over his soft skin causing him to relax more. Then her soft touches started to feel wrong. She touched him in places that a boy shouldn't be touched. Danny knew it but didn't know how to react. She gave him attention. It wasn't hitting or pinching this time._

_The first time that she made love to him, as she called it, he cried. It wasn't soft silent tears but hard begging sobs asking her to quit. She told him to let her show him how much she loved him. How much she wanted him. Then his breathing came out in gulps as his chest tightened because of his excessive crying._

_His body reacted. Yet, he didn't want it to._

_When Tara finished, she looked at him. Her eyes bore into him. "You're so gorgeous, My sweet Danny. It's not my fault that I want you so bad. I love you. Get some sleep. You'll get used to making love to me. You'll like it. I promise."_

Danny sat up in his cot. His eyes widened as he tried to register where he was. He was in prison. Strangely, he was safe. His body was drenched in sweat. He felt his stomach churn as the nightmare and memory raced through his thoughts. He practically fell off his cot before he made it to splash water on his face. He fell to his knees as the contents of his stomach emptied into the toilet. His shoulders shook with hard sobs.

George could hear Danny's vomiting and crying from his bunk. He rolled over to stare at the young boy, who acted so strong most of the time. George turned on the radio because he knew something was happening that seemed private and needed to be kept from the rest of the prisoners.

George watched Danny holding tightly to the metal of the toilet. Danny was only clad in boxers. However, his body was soaked with sweat. His boxers were clinging to the skin of his legs. His back muscles contracted as he bent over the toilet. He was now only dry heaving.

George got out of his cot. He went to see if he could help the kid. He wet a washrag before bending to touch Danny. But when he laid his hand on Danny's shoulder, Danny reacted angrily.

"Don't touch me!" Danny shoved George's hand away forcefully causing George to drop the washrag. Danny glanced up from the toilet as he wiped his hand over his mouth. He could see George's concern in his eyes. His next sentence came out in a soft and hurt plead. "Please don't touch me."

George nodded as he stepped back. He smiled weakly. "I'll go back to bed. You need someone to take care of you, Danny." George climbed back into his bunk. "If you need me…"

"I know." Danny squeezed his eyes shut. "It's just a stomach bug."

Danny heaved into the toilet again. Danny pulled himself between the toilet and the cot. His back hit the side of the wall and his knees bent up in front of him. Danny picked up the wet rag and first wiped his face then placed the rag on the back of his neck.

"I didn't mean to yell at you, George." Danny could feel the gross dryness in his mouth. His stomach churned making him think he may need to vomit again. However, he didn't move.

George sat on the side of his cot. "I'll be fine."

The smell of the vomit in the toilet was strong but George pretended not to notice. He would pretend or do anything for this child. This broken child that George prayed God would give him the knowledge to help heal. Because for some reason, Danny Desai gave him a reason to feel important.

Danny's face reddened as well as his whole body. Danny looked at the floor noticing puddled water from wetting his face earlier. "I'm glad my mother offered you money to help me out here."

"I told her that we didn't need your money, Danny." George stated but stopped when Danny held up his hand. "I like to try and keep you safe."

"I know. My mother told me during our phone call. But she's still going to pay." Danny felt hot tears streaming down his face. "Do you know why no one wants me in Green Grove? No, of course you don't." Danny sniffed but didn't attempt to wipe his tears. "I'm damaged. The one time that I killed was something I will never regret."

George squared around trying to get comfortable on the cot but dare not move. Danny was sharing a part of his life and George knew this was tough for the kid.

"I was so glad I killed her. I was so very glad I took her life." Danny's shoulders began to shake as he placed his head in his hands. George wondered who Danny was referring to. But he stayed silent. "Her name was Tara and she was Dad's sister. She moved in with my parents after begging to allow her to write her book there. She said she needed the quiet away from my grandparents. She lived there four months before she .." Danny bolted his body forward as he once again vomited into the toilet. Yellow bile stung his throat but he kept throwing up. Danny's skin still reddened with shame. When the vomiting ceased, Danny whispered. "She touched me. It was different than the touches of hitting."

George balled up his fists until his knuckles went white. Then George's first words crept from his mouth. "How old were you?"

"Ten." Danny leaned up and flushed the toilet before falling weakly back into his previous position. "I can't remember when she first started hitting me. My first memory was playing on her lap. It was patty cake. I think I may have been three. When she said the words 'throw em' in the pan', she shoved me off her lap so harshly. I hit my head on the floor." Danny was quiet for a moment. Then he continued. "Dad was a drunk and was always angry. So angry. He never noticed the abuse. Mother was so busy being the top of her peers. She never noticed. Always, excuses were made for the bruising. Always, they were believed. I never told on her. I was so glad the hitting stop that the other was tolerated. Maybe I enjoyed it. I'm a sick person."

George closed his eyes thinking of the correct words so not to make Danny pull away again. "So let me get this right. It began when you were a ten year old boy. That is when this happened. Correct?"

Danny looked strangely at George in confusion. "Yeah."

"I know if that happened to me. I'd have killed her. To be honest, I'd kill her now if she was alive to kill." George added.

George stuck out his hand to help Danny up. Danny took his hand and pulled up. "You would've killed her?"

George stared at Danny. "Yeah, I think I'd have done more than kill her." George watched as Danny pondered that. "I'd have wanted to beat her into a bloody pulp for hurting a kid. I'd have tortured her slowly then killed her." George hoped some healing had happened and that was all that could be hoped for.

Danny walked back over to his cot. He climbed up and plopped on the bed. It was as strange thought but Danny wanted George to know where he had told no one else. Maybe because George was in no position to judge him.

He yearned for Lacey to be there in case he had another nightmare. Lacey made him feel safe and wanted in a way no one else did. Lacey made him feel he was worthy of the air he inhaled. With Lacey, Danny felt like a little boy needing a nightlight. But he didn't care. He was scared. He rolled to his stomach and cried. Then he did something stranger than crying or telling George his darkest secret.

Danny prayed silently, to a God he wasn't sure he believed in, not to see Tara in his sleep.

* * *

**NOTE: This is my explanation for Danny's killing Tara. It is also my way of explaining Danny's need for Lacey so much. She breathes life into him. Thus the title.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: I Enjoy Loving You**

"Hey." Lacey grinned broadly as she walked into the small room with only a cot. "I've missed you."

Danny smiled as he walked up to Lacey. He pushed back her hair from her face. "I've missed you too."

Lacey bit her lip as she moved closer to Danny. Her arms wrapped around Danny's neck before brushing her lips against his. Their breathes mingled as their foreheads leaned against one another. Breathing in each other, they stood silently. Danny was the first to move as he ran his fingers up and down Lacey's arms.

"I love you." Danny whispered out as he continued to allow his fingers to dance on Lacey's arm. "I love you so much."

Lacey blinked as she inhaled Danny's essence. "I love you too."

"I can't believe I can touch you." Danny stepped back to stare at Lacey. "I can't believe you're here with me."

Biting her lips then popping them back out, Lacey took a deep breath. Her eyes filled with tears. She looked down at the floor."I can't let you touch me...uhhh like sexually." She slid her tongue over the edge of her lips before continuing. "I'm sorry. I should have warned you. But I wanted to see you so bad to just touch you. But the doctor wants me to refrain from sex for a couple of weeks because of ..." Lacey blinked back tears. "...what happened at the courthouse."

Danny's eyes gleamed with concern. He took his finger under Lacey's chin. He pulled her face up to look at him. "What happened at the courthouse?"

Lacey rocked slightly on her feet from heel to toe." I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I had some pain. It was nothing. The doctor said the babies are fine and I need to stop worrying so much."

To Lacey's surprise, Danny dropped to his knees in front of her. He picked up her shirt pushing the edge up to the bottom of her breasts. His lips caressed her stomach with two light kisses. A tear ran down Lacey's cheek at Danny's words.

"Daddy has a kiss for each of you." Danny whispered as his lips gently grazed Lacey's abdomen.

Lacey entangled her fingers in Danny's hair as he caressed her stomach. "Danny, I enjoy loving you."

It sounded so strange how she worded that simple statement. However, it meant so much to say it that way. Lacey wanted Danny to know that she truly was happy being in love with him. Danny glanced up at her and smiled. He then stood pulling Lacy to the cot with him.

"I want to hold you." Danny explained as he pulled Lacey's body to his.

"This is nice." Lacey relaxed into Danny's arms and sighed. "This is so nice."

Danny placed his chin on the crown of Lacey's head. He took a deep breath before speaking. He made sure to get his words correct. "I told my cell mate my deepest secret. About Tara..."

He could feel Lacey's body tense up at his proclamation. He knew she wanted him to reveal his inner most demons to her as well. Before Lacey could get too frazzled by his words, Danny continued.

"I trust you with my life, Lace. But this isn't about trust. It is about the man I want you to see me as." Danny could feel himself getting nervous. "I don't ever want you to look at me lesser than ..."

Lacey halted Danny's words as her finger pressed against his lips. "Danny, I don't look at you like you think. I made mistakes out of my own fear when I hid you. It wasn't from shame but fear of the taunting and torture of the both of us. I feared what we would endure. But don't you ever believe that I am ashamed of you. When and if you want to tell me your hidden secrets, I will be here to support you and love you. There is nothing that can make me feel differently about you. NOTHING." Lacey ran her finger across Danny's lips. "If you never tell me, I don't care either. That choice is yours. No matter what, I know the man I love." Her index finger poked Danny's chest over his heart. "I know that man...here."

Danny breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Lace." Danny pulled Lacey back against his chest. "Sometimes, the world seems unfair. You know?"

"Yeah." Lacey placed her head against Danny's chest. One ear pressed firmly over the area of his heart. She could hear his heartbeat pounding in a rhythmic pattern. "But we'll get through this."

"I know." Danny slid his fingers up and down Lacey's spine. "Lace, when we touch...any way we touch...sexual or like this...it means more than you realize. It is pure." Danny had stammered his way through each syllable of the sentence. "Does that make sense?"

Lacey knew her face couldn't be seen by Danny. She was glad because a frown displayed as her eyebrows furrowed. She tried her best to hide her perplexed thoughts. "I like the feeling of your fingertips against my skin. The simple touches bring me to life, Danny."

Lacey hoped that was what he wanted to hear. She wasn't sure what more she could say to the statement he made. It must have worked because Danny pulled her tighter and kissed the crown of her head. His fingers continued to dance innocently on Lacey's body. He would make small strokes up and down her arms. The Danny's fingers would slide nimbly over her back and spine. The last touches of his fingers were in small strokes over her abdomen. At first, Lacey couldn't tell what he was doing. She thought perhaps Danny was making a circular pattern on her belly.

However, as she began to pay more attention to his fingers small movements, she realized he was making two hearts repeatedly. Lacey bit her lip trying not to cry. The two newly forming babies in his stomach was his world. To be pregnant now was a burden that she would have gladly given up or bypassed at one time. Now it was unfathomable to think of not being pregnant with Danny's twins. Every ounce of love she had for Danny was bubbling to the surface as she thought about them as a family.

School life was difficult. Lacey still got the jeers and the looks of disdain. After all, most thought she was carrying a murdering sociopath's children. At times, Lacey didn't mind the dirty looks and hateful whispers. Other times, her emotions would be on over load. Those times, she would hide in a bathroom stall and pour out her tears in private. Or go home to throw herself in bed to cry it out.

Lying in Danny's arms, Lacey forgot all the pain her peers would burden her with. She shut out the world around her. It was Danny and she along with the twins.

Danny's life in prison was becoming routine. He ate, slept, spent time reading in the yard, and worked out. The highlight of his days were researching pregnancies and fetus growth. No one seemed to bother him since he stabbed Marcus. Scott and George seemed to keep a vigil over him. He noticed but never mentioned it. He had met Rosco, George's old roommate. He was probably the oldest and longest sentenced prisoner there. He was a lifer as it was called. But Rosco had made prison his home. He immediately became fond of Danny. It was like Rosco had a grandchild with Danny. Even with Danny's becoming accustomed to prison life, he found himself mourning the loss of time with Lacey.

Therefore, the moments of hearing from her, seeing her, and especially touching her ; these moments gave Danny a reason to keep fighting for life. He had Lacey and the rest of the world seemed to fade away when they were together.

"Lace." Danny whispered knowing that their time together for today was almost up.

"Hmmm." Lacey exhaled very slowly enjoying Danny's fingers dancing on her abdomen.

"I enjoy loving you too."


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: Don't Blink **

Danny could feel a strange sense of danger around him. He had noticed the the skinheads had been eyeing him all day. He held his breath any time they approached. Danny knew he could hold his own with the boys in juvie but these men frightened him despite the fact he pretended they didn't. Two and a half months had passed for him inside the prison walls. He missed Lacey and Jo. At times, he missed his mother as well. His father was once again not visiting. That became of a less surprise than the first time he stopped visiting in juvie when Danny was thirteen.

The smell of fresh leaves permeated across the prison yard. Danny took in a much needed intake of air after being inside the last few days. The stormy weather kept the men hindered inside the cinderblock walls. Many were antsy due to not being able to get out. Danny's years in juvie allowed him the knowledge that a day like today was a dangerous day. The prisoners had pent up energy. They had been mulling over problems they had with other inmates as well as life in general. The haters would be on an all time high of hating.

"Don't blink." Roscoe whispered in Danny's ear.

"What?" Danny turned slowly to look at the old man.

"They're eyeing you, kid." Roscoe sat down on the concrete bench beside of Danny. "They hate you for two reasons, boy. One is the color of your skin is too dark for their liking and the other is you scare them." Roscoe smirked. "Or maybe that is one in the same. You scare them."

"I'm a sixteen year old." Danny didn't know why he felt he needed to say that.

"Yeah." Roscoe nodded towards George, who was keeping a close vigil on Danny. "I get that. So does George and Stephan as well as a few others. But them there haters only see hate. You smarted off too much. That gives you power. Them there milky skinned boys are all about power trips."

"You're white too." Danny laughed slightly.

"I ain't one of them." Roscoe stated with pride. "I killed my old lady and her lover not over hate. That was jealousy." Roscoe spit on the ground before standing up to walk away. "Like I said, don't blink."

Rusty nodded his head towards Danny. "He's being guarded again, Frank."

"I see that, Rusty." Frank allowed his cigarette to dangle from his lips. "Sometimes we need to take our chances. That kid needs taught a lesson. Marcus is still healing up. Nothing was done to Danny for that."

In less than a blink of an eye, a full brawl was happening in the prison yard. The prisoners were already wound up. Therefore, Frank had one of his crew to start something. It didn't take long before the guards were trying to get the prisoners on lockdown. That was when Frank and Rusty, along with another inmate took their chance to get at Danny.

Danny knew he was being targeted. So when Frank, Rusty, and a third inmate approached him, Danny pretended not to be frightened.

Danny yawned. "It's too #### early for this."

Frank chuckled. "Perhaps, you should've thought about that before pretending to be such a bad#$$."

"For your information, who said I was pretending." Danny smirked. "Are you really willing to bet your life on it?."

"You've got serious issues." Rusty shook his head. "You can't charm your way out of this, Desai."

"Tell me about it. " Danny laughed before nudging the third inmate's shoulder. "At least they're immune to my charms."

"Shut up, freak." The inmate snarled. "You need to be scared. You hurt Marcus."

"Oh yeah." Danny glanced at Frank sideways. "Do you want to date Marcus again? I didn't mean to put a damper on your romantic times."

"No. You sick son of a..." Frank grabbed Danny by the collar.

"Leave Mother out of this." Danny smirked again. "Truthfully, she can be when she wants to be. But I love her for it."

Frank shoved his finger against Danny's chest. "I said you'd get a good *$$ kicking if you didn't stay away from us."

Danny breathed out hiding his fear. "I do believe you approached me."

He noticed two others come up as they surrounded him.

"What's with you guys. Need to hold each other's hand." Danny laughed again despite the circumstance he was in.

George made his way through the chaos. "Leave him alone, Frank."

"We have no problem with you, George." Frank stared at George. "The kid needs taught a lesson."

Rusty stated. "Our problem is with Danny."

Frank punched Danny in the gut causing him to double over. George warned the man but two more prisoners grabbed his arms preventing him from aiding  
Danny.

"Listen." Danny stood back up. "You're going to have to do better than that."

Danny punched Frank in the jaw before Rusty and the third inmate grabbed him by both his arms. Frank grabbed his jaw, which was already beginning to swell. It  
only fueled him on.

Frank got right in Danny's face. "You are no body, Desai."

"That's not what your sister said." Danny laughed as he peered at Frank. "I remember her. She was very flexible."

Once again, Frank punched Danny in the gut. Danny coughed.

"I'm warning you all." George tried to get loose. "Leave him alone. You're hurting him!"

"That's the plan." Frank struck Danny in the gut again. "Keep that mouth shut. And stay away from my sister."

Danny was panting trying to get air into his lungs. He looked up. "No problem. She wasn't as good as your mom anyway." Danny smirked.

Frank pulled back his fist and punched Danny in the face. "You think you're cute. Let me mess up that face to show you how cute I can make you."

Danny spit out blood. "What's wrong, Frank? Jealous?"

Frank struck Danny again in the side. This time over and over again. Frank's friends continued to hold onto Danny's arms. George continued to kick and squirm trying to break free to help his cellmate.

"Do you want to keep spouting off that smart mouth?" Frank leaned into Danny.

Danny laughed as blood poured out of his mouth. "Give me a second."

"Danny, please. Stop talking." George begged. He knew he couldn't help the kid. Danny would be better off to take it and keep his mouth shut. George looked around  
the yard at the other prisoners gathered. He tried to see a guard. "Someone get help. Please. He is a sixteen year old kid."

Danny could hardly breathe. They dropped him to the ground. Danny chuckled as he watched Frank and his friends start to leave.

"Hey wait." He called weakly. "I thought of something."

George watched as Danny was kicked in the side by each of the five prisoners before they walked away. He quickly stooped beside Danny. "Danny. What the he&&, boy."

Danny coughed as he held his side. "I didn't really have anything else to say. I think I'm hurt."

George shook his head. "Of course you're hurt. smart*$$."

Danny grabbed George's hand. "Seriously, George. I've been beat before. This time, I can't breathe."

George helped Danny up. "How do you know his sister?"

"I don't." Danny chuckled despite the pain. "I didn't even know he had a sister."

George shook his head with a small chortle. "Kid, I think you are crazy."

Frank watched as George helped a guard escort Danny out of the yard. He looked at Rusty. "Did you get it?"

"Yep." Rusty held up the piece of paper. "Danny doesn't go anywhere without this."

Frank laughed as he took the ultrasound image from Rusty. "Let's see how funny he thinks he is now."

* * *

Judy watched as Lacey sorted through her clothes. "Doesn't anything fit?"

"Nothing." Lacey plopped on the bed.

"You know you can come with us. Maybe a change of scenery would do you some good." Judy raked her hand over Lacey's cheek. "I know things with us aren't perfect. But..."

"I don't want to leave Danny." Lacey bit her lip. "Please don't make me go."

"You're still my baby, Lacey." Judy's eyes misted over. "But I won't make you. How was staying the weekend with Karen?"

"Terrible." Lacey admitted. "It is too quiet there. At least here, Clara is always trying to pretend she is a good singer."

"Hey." Clara exclaimed. "I am a good singer."

"Stick to gymnastics." Lacey teased before looking at her mother. "Mrs. Desai tries but she is clueless. She misses Danny like crazy. She is always sipping on wine and staring into space. I feel sorry for her. Then Vikram is back in the house. It feels odd to say the least."

"And you want to live there?" Judy pushed Lacey's hair behind her shoulder.

"I want to be near Danny." Lacey reiterated. "That's all."

Judy watched as Lacey stood up to begin to pack more clothes. She noticed Lacey's abdomen was getting large with the twins. She stared over at Clara, who was twisting gum around her finger as she hummed along with a song on her Ipod. Then her attention went back to Lacey. No more frilly dresses and pig tails. No more tight braids and rag dolls. No more night time stories and kisses on the cheek.

Judy swallowed as she realized all the wasted time she could have spent with her oldest daughter.

Why didn't Judy remind herself? Don't blink.

* * *

**Author's NOTE: This story has no intent of offending anyone. The prison scenes are based on stories I've heard or seen on tv. My dad was a prison guard at one time. Stuff like this happens. As far as Judy as a parent...I am writing her as a neglectful parent to show why Lacey clings to Danny. I will not change that because my story would not make sense if I changed that part of Lacey's past. Thanks for those that are enjoying this and can see my intentions.**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23: Playing the Part**

Karen Desai was always underestimated. All her life she had been seen as the prize to show off. Even as a small child, her parents always bragged about their beautiful little girl. Karen would always play that part for them. However, Karen Desai was cunning in the fact that playing the part got her what she wanted. Now, what Karen Desai wanted was to make sure Danny was safe. She wanted her son home as well. However, she knew that would take a lot more than seducing a man. Or would it? She would figure that out later.

"Jack, seriously. How did my son get hurt?" Karen stared angrily at the warden.

"Karen, I'm trying here." Jack leaned back in his desk as he plopped his large feet up. "Your son has a tendency to be crass."

Karen smirked. "Danny would never start an argument or a fight."

"The other inmates won't squeal on each other. Even if they hate one another. It is how it is." Jack rubbed his chin. "I like our arrangement, Karen. But I can't keep him safe all the time. Putting him with George is the best I can do." Jack placed his feet in the floor. He leaned up placing his elbows on his large oak desk. "I hear that your ex is back in your house."

Karen flashed an disgruntled look at Jack. "So. I need him there for Danny." Karen could see the squint that Jack made. "My son becomes before my own wants, Jack."

"I see that." Jack grinned. "Am I a want now? Or still just a means to protect your son."

"You figure it out." Karen exhaled. "I need to see Danny now. Is he going to the hospital?"

"Yeah." Jack stood up. He rubbed down Karen's shoulders. He could feel her shiver beneath his touch. He wondered how long it had been since this beautiful woman had enjoyed a man's touch rather than allowed a man pleasure to help her son. "The ambulance is in route. You can leave now and see him. He probably has a few broken ribs and needs some stitches over his eye. That is what our medic thinks."

Karen closed her eyes as she allowed a few seconds of pleasure cascade over her at Jack's touch. The ruggedly handsome man had somehow managed to cause her to feel alive again. She pushed back those feelings as she made her way to the door of his office. She knew that she would be seeing her son beaten and bruised again. Once again, she felt she failed him. She always failed her Danny.

Once at the hospital, Karen was spoken to by the doctor in charge of Danny. It seems Danny's rib had punctured his lung. Therefore, he had been rushed to emergency surgery. Usually, no one would be notified until later but Karen's relationship with the warden allowed for special privileges. It was warden's orders to allow Karen and Lacey visits. The guard never asked. They respected their boss. If seeing this prisoner's mom was what Jack wanted, so be it.

Danny opened his eyes to see the his mom standing outside in the hall from his room. He turned his head slowly sideways to see a figure leaning over his  
bed. He blinked trying to cause the blurry image to come into focus.

"Lacey." He whispered groggily.

A dark haired nurse leaned up from checking his vital signs. "I see you're finally awake. Your mom will be glad to see you." She smiled sweetly. "As far as Lacey, she's excited to see you too."

Danny tried to sit up. This only caused him to feel a sharp pain hit his side. "She's here? Lacey is here?"

"Yes." The nurse placed her hand on Danny's shoulder. She showed him the controls on the side of the bed. "Don't try to sit up. Use the bed to make yourself sit. You're going to be sore awhile. Not only because the stitches but because you were beat rather badly."

Danny rolled his eyes. He said more to him than her. "Been beat worse."

The doctor walked in. Dr. Brice didn't act like he heard him. However, he was sure by the x-rays that the kid wasn't exaggerating that. "I'll let your family know  
you're awake."

"Danny." Karen made it over to Danny's bed. "Oh, sweet, Danny."

"Hey." Danny smiled weakly. He groggily answered. "I'm fine."

"You are not." Karen ran her hand over Danny's cheek. "The doctor said your rib punctured a lung. You just got out of emergency surgery."

Vikram entered the room. "How is my boy?"

Danny rolled his eyes before stating. "I'm fine."

Lacey watched through the glass window as Vikram and Karen visited Danny. The guard stood beside her with his arms crossed. He never spoke to Lacey but Lacey could see even the guard was concerned for Danny.

"You must be Tobias." Lacey stated as she glanced up at the tall guard.

"How did you know?" Tobias kept the stern look despite wanting to smile at the girl.

"Danny talks about you on our visits." Lacey bit her lip. "He respects you."

"He's not a bad kid." Tobias finally smiled.

Lacey chuckled as she rubbed her swollen abdomen. "I tend to agree."

They both shared a chuckle before Lacey was called back to see Danny. Vikram and Karen walked out due to the guard preferring only two at time in the hospital room.

"Lacey." Danny smiled despite his obvious pain.

Lacey wiped a few stray tears from her cheeks. "I made a promise to you, Danny. I told you I would take care of myself. Now look at what you let happen to yourself." Lacey inhaled deeply. "Why are you trying to get hurt?"

"I'm not." Danny spoke up.

Lacey looked up. Her eyes were red from crying. "If there is something I need to know, tell me. Because I am carrying your children, Danny. You seem to want to get hurt. I can't take that." She squeezed Danny's hand. "I want us together."

Danny turned his head to look at Lacey. "The thing is that I've been hit so long that it has become normal for me. In juvie, I fought all the time to survive. But I was hit way before that. Aunt Tara.." Danny swallowed nervously. " When Aunt Tara stopped hitting, she stopped giving me attention at all. I was happy about that. But at least after the beatings, she'd feel guilty. I had control then. I can't explain it. Even with the beatings, I felt in control the next day because she felt so guilty. I controlled that. Not having control can get me hurt. In my screwed up mind, losing control isn't an option. "

Lacey pressed her hand against Danny's cheek. "I didn't know Tara hurt you."

Danny's eyes misted up. "You won't want us together after I tell you. The thing is that I know what happened to me wasn't my fault now. You'll know it too. But that won't make you want to be in the type relationship with me after you know why I killed Tara."

"Try me." Lacey laid a pillow on her lap. It was like a secure barrier between her and Danny. She knew if she went to him. She'd let him by with not telling her again. She was carrying his children. She wanted to help him with this decision of taking someone's life. They had not really talked of starting over. The pregnancy threw them back into each other's lives. In order to get it right for their little family, they needed cards all laid out on the table.

Danny's face turned slightly red. "I had my first sexual experience when I was around ten."

"Tara raped me." Danny turned away from Lacey. He didn't want to see her look of disgust or pity that he imagined she had on her face. He had never put it like that before. Before in his mind, he always put it like sex. Danny realized that it was rape not willingness.

Danny could hear Lacey's light sobbing. He continued to stare at the wall in the opposite direction of her. "Sometimes when I'm alone, I see Tara's face. I want  
people to know I'm not that little boy. I'm in total control. They have no power over me. I can't let anyone know I that I am weak or I may get hurt, Lacey."

Lacey remained silent all but her little snivels here and there. Danny continued. "I always play the part that is needed. Because that makes people want me or respect me. I can read people. I watch them to see what their weakness is." Danny knew Lacey would probably leave on his last words. "I manipulate people, Lacey. That is how I got Jo to befriend me again. I know she wants to feel special so I told her she was the most important person in the world to me. I manipulated the team against Archie. That is why he was so mad and wanted me off the team. I know it isn't an excuse. But I wanted to quit hurting because of your rejection when I came back. At one time, I wanted to forget you and Jo . Then we broke up, I wanted to forget you walked away from us. I wanted to be the one in control of who walked away again. You made me feel like the Danny that meant something. I forgot how it felt to be that person. I had to have you. I didn't want to hurt you. I only wanted to be numb to you and Jo when I came back. But when I saw you both. I wanted what we used to have because it was the only pure thing in my life. The only happy thing I could remember. "

Danny heard Lacey get out of the chair. He figured she was leaving again. He couldn't blame her. What girl would want a messed up boy like him? But he had one more thing to say. "Now you know the truth. Now you know I am what I am. And why I did what I did."

Danny allowed a few tears to sneak over his long lashes. He kept his back turned to Lacey knowing she was leaving. The silence hung like a thick fog smothering him. Suddenly, he felt a gentle touch of the back of his hair. He turned slowly.

He saw Lacey's face. Her soft features didn't whisper repugnance or pity. Danny wanted neither. Instead, her eyes mirrored his. Deep emotional pain displayed in Lacey's brown orbs. However, he saw something more. Something he needed to see from her. What he saw caused his heart to ache so deeply that he gulped.

Danny saw love.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24: Talking in Your Sleep**

Karen cringed slightly as she glanced over at Vikram sleeping soundly next to her. Before Vikram had supposedly died, she would've done anything to have him touch her again. However, his treachery had changed her. She had been through too much disgusting situations to help Danny to want Vikram's touch now. He left them broke as far as finances. She also felt broken emotionally. Then there was Jack. He had sparked a fire in Karen that she had long forgotten. Karen thought she would never feel like that towards a man again. But Jack stole her heart. Or was close to it.

Karen took a deep breath. She was only allowing Vikram in her bed because she felt he was hiding something. Being married to the man taught Karen a few things. One was that if she turned him on his right side, his snoring would stop. Two was he liked two pillows to sleep with. Three was that his feet always needed covered as he slept. And the most important was Vikram talked in his sleep if he worked hard during the day. Karen had made sure that they spent time together keeping busy with business papers, exercise, and whatever else she could think of. Most of the time, Vikram talked about business or any other thing on his mind. Sometimes, he spoke of things that bothered him. Karen usually ignored his sleepy rants. But tonight, she hoped he would reveal his secrets.

After two and a half hours of Karen questioning her sleeping husband, Karen was surprised that his incoherent ramblings began to make sense.

Karen leaned on her elbow as she stared at Vikram. She whispered. "I miss Danny."

"Mmmph." Vikram rolled to his side. "He is innocent."

"Yeah. I wish we had something to prove it." Karen stated lowly.

"In his safe place." Vikram muttered. "Tara's book."

Karen's eyes widened as she stared at the father of her son. Did he really know how to prove Danny's innocence and was keeping it a secret? That was all Karen could get from Vikram. She didn't know what that meant but she was determined to find out.

Vikram left the next morning claiming to be working with Danny's lawyer on his appeal. Lacey had asked Jo if she'd like to come over for breakfast. Lacey felt odd being alone with Karen and Vikram. Jo was more than happy to help her out. Their friendship was growing slowly and Jo liked that.

Karen glanced at the two girls eating cereal and fresh fruit. She placed her coffee down on the counter. "Can I ask you girls something in confidence?"

"Sure." Jo spoke for them both.

Lacey placed her spoon down as she listened to Karen intensely. Both girls could tell that she was ready for a serious conversation.

Karen placed her hands on the counter and leaned down. "I'm going to cut to the chase because this isn't some television drama. I don't need a bunch of dramatic words to get to my point. My son needs us all to help him. Vik sometimes talks in his sleep. He mentioned that Danny had a safe place and Tara's book was there. For some reason, it will help prove his innocence. Do you know if it was ranting about nothing or does Danny have somewhere he feels safe."

"The fort!" Lacey and Jo stated at the same time.

"Do you mean the run down place that he was hiding in?" Karen asked curiously.

"Yeah." Jo stood up placing her bowl in the sink. "It is like our secret hiding place when we were young."

"Danny said it himself." Lacey added. "It is a place we went to when we needed to get away or cry. But Vikram wouldn't know about it. Would he?"

"Actually..." Jo frowned slightly. "I once saw him following us. He laughed and put his finger to his mouth like he'd keep our secret."

"Jo, why didn't you tell us?" Lacey said angrily. "You know that Danny said that was our place to hide."

"Lacey, I was probably nine. I didn't think anything about it until you brought it up." Jo retorted.

"I'm sorry." Lacey swallowed. "Danny has been through a lot. I didn't want that place messed up for him."

"What has he been through?" Jo crossed her arms over her chest in defiance.

"Seriously, Jo? He's serving time in prison." Lacey shook her head. She would never reveal Danny's secrets to Jo or Karen. Those were his secrets to tell if he wanted them told.

"Ladies." Karen interrupted. "Can you take me there? We need to search it for that book."

It wasn't long before Karen and the teen girls were tearing the old fort apart. It hurt Jo the most to see the destruction of the property. But she knew it meant Danny had a chance. Karen and Jo fell back on their haunches. Both were exhausted.

"It is no use." Karen wiped her hand over her dirty, sweaty brow. "I was wrong."

Lacey kept digging. Then she wildly went for the fire pit. "We can't give up."

"Lacey, a book would burn..." Jo tried to stop Lacey's hurried actions.

"Wait!" Lacey looked up. "I think I hit something medal under this rock.

Karen and Jo scurried to Lacey as they helped her dig. To their surprise, Karen pulled out a fireproof box. The girls watched as she popped it open. Lacey and Jo swallowed seeing a leather bound journal lay in the metal container.

Lacey touched Karen's hand. "Read it at home. If it has something to save Danny, you'll find it. This book contains family secrets. We have no right to hear them."

"You do." Karen reached up to wipe a smudge of black off of Lacey's face. She turned to Jo. "You both do."

"Maybe." Jo added. "But if Danny wants us to know, he'll tell us. Go. See if this book saves your son."

* * *

Lacey was asked to stay at Jo's for the night while Karen read through the manuscript. Karen cried at the words before her. More than once, Karen had to run to the bathroom to throw up at the deplorable things that Tara Desai revealed in her book.

When Vikram walked into the house that evening, Karen was waiting for him. Vikram's eyes bugged out when he came face to face with the end of a pistol.

"You let our son live that life." Karen said with a shaky voice. "You caught Gloria Crane's father in law raping Tara when she was twelve. You didn't back her up due to money. YOUR OWN FATHER TOLD YOU THAT IT WOULD COST THE DESAI FORTUNE! MONEY! This was all about money..."

"Karen, think about what you're doing. I didn't know Tara was touching Danny until I found the book two years after he was sentenced for killing Tara. She had hid it in that apartment in Conneticutt. When I read about the physical and sexual abuse of our son, I quit seeing him at juvie. I couldn't face what he had lived through because of Tara's and my secret." Vikram held up his hands. "I didn't know."

"YOU didn't care! You could've got him out three years earlier. NO Judge or jury would convict Danny if they knew!" Karen was sobbing but still kept the gun aimed at Vikram. "Regina's grandfather raped Tara and you and John caught him in the act. You remember John... our mayor! But instead of standing up for your sister, you and John both blackmailed that sick man for money! Tara hated you enough to try to destroy what you loved because you helped destroy her! But she was wrong! She figured that out with the book idea. Destroying Danny wasn't enough because he wasn't your main love...MONEY and the DESAI name was! The book would take both from you! Every illegal activity committed by the Desais along with the Cranes is in detail here. While the sick pervert was sexually abusing a girl, she took note of every thing he said in his sleep. Mr. Crane is a lot like you are, Vikram. He talks in his sleep and reveals a lot."

"Karen listen." Vikram stepped forward. Karen fired the gun causing a bullet to hit the wall behind him.

"Don't!" Karen warned. "I don't know how Regina found out. Maybe she was so promiscuous because he did the same to her. All I know is that Danny didn't kill her but someone did. Someone that knew that necklace was a link to the truth. Tara wrote it here!" Karen quickly waved the gun towards the book. "That necklace was given to her by Gloria's father in law to remind her to keep quiet. That he had control over her. Tara wore it to remind you that she would never forget your betrayal of her."

"I was trying to figure out how to help Danny." Vikram tried to explain. "John had Marilyn Rossi kill Regina to keep her quiet. NO one has to know what happened to our son or Tara. I was trying..."

"You were trying to protect your money." Karen swallowed the taste of bile in her mouth.

"No." Vikram claimed. "The Cranes are dangerous. Mr. Crane would have his own granddaughter killed to keep this quiet. What do you think he'd do to our family?"

"Danny deserved more than both of us gave him. I was so busy playing the perfect Desai that I ignored the signs. All the bruises I let be explained by soccer games. His broken arm explained by a fall from a tree. His hate towards me as a spoiled child. I let him down. I was his mother. It was my job to protect him. I would have killed Tara myself if I had known. But I ignored all of it. That didn't fit into my perfect world. I won't ignore my Danny ever again."

"What are you going to do, Karen? Kill me?" Vikram took another step towards Karen.

"Death is too good for you." Karen smirked. "I called Kyle. He was probably close enough to hear the shot I fired. You will be going to prison instead of your son. John, Ms. Rossi, Gregory Crane, and you will pay for Regina's death and conspiracy to commit fraud, hindering prosecution of a crime, and any other crime that is found in this book! If you're lucky, you will get Danny's cot."

It was less than five minutes before Kyle and Eddie entered the Desai home. Karen was still holding the gun on Vikram. Kyle took the gun from Karen's shaking hands as Eddie cuffed Vikram. Karen handed Kyle the book.

"It is all here, Kyle." Karen blinked back tears. "Tara wrote about all the crimes committed by the Desais and the Cranes." Karen gulped before adding. "I wouldn't inform the mayor of your findings until you have him and Marilyn Rossi behind bars."

After Kyle and Eddie escorted Vikram out of the house, Karen picked up the phone. "Jack, I have another favor to ask. You will be getting another Desai in your prison. Make sure he is on the cellblock with those that beat Danny." Karen smirked as she whipped her hand over the remaining tears staining her cheek. "Makes sure Marcus, the prisoner that tried to rape Danny, is Vikram's roommate."


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25: Freedom**

Danny's face fell when he saw the little pieces of paper laying on his meal tray. His knuckles whitened due to squeezing the tray so hard. He glanced up to see Rosco standing there. Danny's face changed from anger to being perplexed.

"It wasn't me, kid." Roscoe informed him quickly. "I found it. I knew it was yours. I can try to piece it back for you."

"It is in hundreds of pieces, Roscoe." Danny bit his lip as he stared at the shredded ultrasound.

"I ain't going anywhere." Roscoe sat down. He nodded towards George, who was seated next to Danny. "George."

"Roscoe." George took a bite of his bologna sandwich before stating with his mouth full. "I'm sure your girl will get you another one."

"It's not that." Danny swallowed as his eyes moistened.

"What is it?" Roscoe was an old man that needed something in life. Hearing this kid's story had to be more interesting than reading the same magazine again.

"It reminded me that I had her at one time." Danny breathed out. "That these babies will always remind her I exist. But I know Lacey will move on. I'm not stupid. She beautiful inside and out. Any man would be honored to have her. I know I'm here for twenty years. I want her to move on. The appeal is something to give me hope. But I know there is none. These babies, that is hope. It also reminded me of my youth being taken. I've not been a kid sense I killed my aunt. Maybe even before that. But if I could be a dad to such a perfect person's children, I did something good in life despite not having much of a life myself."

George and Roscoe knew how it felt to be locked away from family. They knew the sting of having children never to be raised by them. Roscoe even had grandchildren that he probably would never meet. They both understood the importance of that piece of paper to Danny. It was his one thing that reminded him that he had something in life beyond the prison walls. Even if and when Lacey moved on, that piece of paper would be a reminder that somewhere on the outside there were children that shared his blood and shared a love for the woman, who Danny would always love.

Neither spoke as they stared over at Frank and Rusty. Both the men had malicious grins on their faces.

"We'll get them back." Roscoe stated between gritted teeth.

"Don't bother." Danny rubbed his hair from his eyes. "It will just keep going on and on. The circle will never end. Let them think they won. I don't want to spend the rest of my twenty years making those two idiots my problem."

Both Roscoe and George nodded in agreement. Before the men could finish their lunch meal, some guards made their way into the cafeteria.

"Danny Desai!" The warden walked into the cafeteria. It was very rare that he made an appearance in the cafeteria. Usually, Jack was seen when inspecting the cells, disciplinary talks, etc.

Danny stood up. "Yes, sir."

"Come here, son." Jack waved him over.

Danny walked up as all stared his way. Jack placed his arm around Danny's shoulder, which was another rarity. The man didn't show the prisoners affection.

Jack smirked as he noticed the kid looking at him strange. However, Jack had a big interest in this kid's mother. With the news he had today, Danny would no longer be his connection to Karen. Therefore, Jack was kissing up a little.

"I want all of you to say goodbye to Danny Desai." Jack chuckled before adding. "It is his last day here. It seems they found the real killer. Danny is a free man...boy..whatever."

Applause sounded over all the whole cafeteria from the prisoners to the guards. Danny looked at Jack. "Seriously!"

"Yeah. Your mother and your girlfriend are waiting at the courthouse. I am going to escort you there personally. You will be freed after the proceedings."

George made his way to Danny. They shared a manly hug. Roscoe was there as well. He shook Danny's hand. "It is great knowing one of the good ones got it right."

As Danny walked away, applause still echoed around the cafeteria. Danny walked slowly away with Jack but stopped at Frank and Rusty. They sat at the their own table not applauding. Danny glanced at Jack.

"So, what I do in here doesn't count against me?" He asked Jack.

"Well, I don't know of anything you did." Jack's eyebrows furrowed curiously.

Danny didn't answer before ramming the butt off his hand up Frank's nose and elbowing Rusty in the mouth just as quickly. Both men couldn't react due to the warden being there. Jack grabbed at Danny.

"Sir." Danny glanced at Jack. "I heard you're interested in my mother. Would you like to come to dinner some day?"

Jack laughed as he shook his head. "Sure, Kid. Let's get you out of here."

* * *

Lacey, Jo, and Karen were the only ones in the courtroom besides the staff and judge. That included Kyle and Eddie, who were considered part of the courthouse staff as they were acting on part of the guards that day. It was a request that was granted.

Danny walked in dressed in a nice suit. Jack walked in behind him. Danny's lawyer stood waiting for his client. The judge had issued it to be a closed hearing. The judge cleared his throat as he looked at Danny.

"This court apologizes for the gross injustice that has been placed upon you, Mr. Desai. We would like to give you more than an apology. However, there is nothing that we can do to fix the past. Take this opportunity to be an upstanding citizen." The judge looked almost teary eyed when he added. "I know your juvenile records are sealed to the public. However, this case was directly connected to the case of your aunt, Tara Desai. Again, I want to make a personal note that you were incarcerated unjustly as a child too. For the life of me, as a judge, I don't know how an eleven year old child's reason for his actions were not explored more thoroughly. If it were up to me and I believe many others, you would have not spent a day incarcerated. I can't change what has happened to you in your past, young man. I can only wish you well in the future. Danny Desai, you are now released back into society."

Danny made a beeline for Lacey. His arms enveloped her body as her arms entwined around his neck. Both needed to touch to make sure this was moment was not a dream. When Karen saw that the embrace wasn't going to relinquish any time soon, she joined her arms around them as best she could. Soon Jo was following Karen's actions. Giggles and laughter could be heard as the four embraced each other.

Kyle patted Danny's back. "I don't want to break up this love fest. However, Tess has worked her tail off getting the welcome home party up for you. Of course, the three ladies your hugging did a lot too. But the people back at your home are anxiously awaiting for your return home."

Karen smiled at Jack. "You can come too."

He nodded with a wink.

"Where's dad?" Danny said as he released the girls. His hand slid to take Lacey's hand.

"Sorry, son." Kyle stated. "Your dad was involved in this whole mess. Ms. Rossi, the mayor, and Gregory Crane were too. It was a big conspiracy. Your mom will explain later. Right now let's get you home."

Eddie nudged Danny's shoulder. "It would be the honor of police department of Green Grove if we could give you a police escort home."

Danny nodded as he looked over at Lacey with a smile. He was finally free.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26: Life of the Party**

Danny looked around in awe at the amount of people that came to the party. This time it wasn't because Tyler Lewis had invited a group to see a prank. This time the people were there for him.

"Hello, Danny." Came a familiar voice.

Danny turned around. He raked his hand nervously through his hair. "Mrs. Crane?"

"I know that your shocked I am here. I'm only here to wish you well." Gloria Crane inhaled deeply. "Regina is all I had, Danny. When I lost her it was easier to blame someone. It made the grief be less painful to feel the anger and not the sadness. I honestly thought you killed her."

"I understand." Danny accepted Gloria's handshake. Lacey walked up placing her hand in the crook of Danny's arm.

"Mrs. Crane, it is nice to see you." Lacey bit her lip as she glanced between Danny and Mrs. Crane. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes." Gloria rubbed Lacey's abdomen. "I'm leaving. Take care of your boyfriend and these babies."

With those words, Gloria Crane walked away. Two weeks later, Gloria Crane left Green Grove and the bad memories there. She would always take Regina with her in her heart. At least that is what Lacey hoped.

Lacey rubbed her hand down Danny's chest. "That was intense."

"Yeah. But I don't want to think about it now." Danny turned to wrap his arms around Lacey. "I want to enjoy being here with you."

Lacey grinned causing her dimples to show up. "I'm not going anywhere."

Danny leaned his forehead into Lacey's forehead. He was going to kiss her when they were interrupted.

"Danny, welcome home." Judy stood there holding a gift for Danny. "I know that gifts weren't supposed to be bought for this party. But it is something little I saw on the way back to Green Grove. I thought you'd like it."

"Mom?" Lacey stared at her. "I thought you were still in Seattle."

"Well, we still live there. But I couldn't miss out on this special day. Tess called and told me that Clara and I were invited to a Welcome Home party for Danny." Judy tried to hide her apprehension. "Clara, I, your dad and Randall decided to come back to Green Grove so some of us could join the celebration."

"Dad's here?" Lacey straightened her shoulders. The thought of her dad seeing her for the first time since coming out as gay made her nervous. Especially since she would be facing him as a pregnant teen girl.

"Yes." Judy breathed out. "Randall didn't come to the party. He said he would love to meet you on your terms. We didn't want to ambush you."

"Yeah." Lacey bit her lip. "Is dad at the party?"

"Over there." Judy nodded her head towards the corner of the room. Kyle and Samuel stood talking to each other. Samuel glanced over a Lacey. He added a small smile to his face when he noticed his daughter looking his way.

"I guess I better say hello." Lacey squeezed Danny's hand before adding a quick peck to Danny's lips.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Danny asked as he still grasped to Lacey's hand.

"No. I think I better do this alone the first time." Lacey reluctantly released Danny's hand.

Judy watched as Danny stared after her daughter. She could see how he already missed Lacey's presence. It caused her to smile before biting her lip.

"Lacey gets that from you." Danny turned to look at Judy.

"What?" Judy questioned.

"The habit of biting her lips." Danny quirked one eyebrow up. "Your beauty, your wisdom, and your strength." Danny smirked slightly. "We'll do okay. Lacey will be alright."

Judy shook her slightly. "You are a charmer." She chortled. "Lacey was gone before she even had a chance. Now quit trying to bull crap me and lets go mingle. I don't want you wasting all that charm on me. You need to save some for Samuel. He is the one you need to win over."

Judy linked her arm in Danny's as he raised his elbow alerting her that he was going to escort her to the other party goers. In the meantime, Lacey had made her way over to her father. She rubbed her slightly swollen abdomen anxiously.

"Lacey..." Samuel dismissed himself from talking Kyle. "How is my girl?"

He kissed her cheek before pulling her back by the shoulders and looking her up and down. Lacey once again rubbed her protruding abdomen. "Fine, Dad."

"Well, I see that you're not so fine." Samuel frowned. "I knew that Desai was bad news."

"Daddy, not now." Lacey gritted out a smile. "It is Danny's night. I don't want you to ruin it."

"I don't think I ruined anything. He ruined plenty though." Samuel shook his head. "How long were you seeing this boy and keeping it a secret?"

"Daddy, don't." Lacey begged. "Please. We all have our secrets."

Those words actually made Samuel laugh. He leaned over and kissed his daughter's forehead. "I'm going to talk to Danny."

"Be nice, Dad." Lacey smiled broadly.

"I'll try." Samuel winked at his daughter before heading over towards Danny, who had left Judy to talk to Tess and Karen. He was now standing with Cole.

Danny took in a deep breath of air when he saw Samuel heading his way. "Oh boy. That's Lacey's dad coming my way."

"Good luck with that, man." Cole patted Danny's shoulder before he left him to talk to Samuel.

"Danny." Samuel nodded his head at Danny. "I'm glad that you got out."

"Yeah." Danny stuck his hands deep in his pockets. "I'm glad Regina's real killer was brought to justice."

"I'm going to cut in between the bull, Danny." Samuel arched one eyebrow. "You have my little girl pregnant. Lacey had a promising future and now it is ruined."

"Sir, I know things aren't perfect or like any of us planned." Danny raked his fingers through his hair. "But I plan to be there for your daughter both in financial support and emotional. I love her." Danny held up his hand. "Before you think that is a stupid notion. I know love doesn't solve everything. But I needed you to know that." Danny straightened his shoulders and looked directly into Samuel's eyes. "I've looked into some government programs for single mothers or if Lacey agrees to marry me, some programs for married mothers. There is an abundant amount of grants out there as well as scholarships." Danny took in a deep breath. "Day care will be the biggest expense but some of the colleges and universities offer day care with tuition if we get the right grants for her. Housing will be the biggest problem depending on married housing or if we go close to home...I actually have a few files on the subject. I just need to approach the subject with Lacey before I can tell you our plans." Danny walked over to the end table beside of his dad's old chair. He pulled from the table drawer a file with a variety of colored tabs labeling different schools and situations.

"You've thought a lot about this." Samuel was admittedly impressed. He read through the file briefly. "This is impressive."

"I've had almost three months of time to concentrate on our future." Danny took in a ragged breath. "We are only headed into our junior year at school. But I know that I can bypass some of my prerequisites to graduate early as well as get a part time job. I want to ask for your permission to ask your daughter for her hand in marriage."

"Danny, that is a huge request. You're both so young." Samuel didn't expect that to be brought up at all. He planned to intimidate the boy a little.

"Teen marriage isn't the idea in anyone's life, Mr. Porter." Danny once again took in a deep breath. "But I do love her. Of course, we can have a long engagement if that is what Lacey wants. From a logical stand point, it makes sense as there is a lot more housing for married couples as well as family housing. Lacey and I can work out the logistics of who and when we go to school as well as when I work. From an emotional stand point, I can't imagine a future without her."

Samuel stared at Danny as he thought of Danny's request. "I know you love her. But marriage is difficult. It involves more than you two now. Those children she carries are important too."

"Those children and Lacey are the priorities now in my life." Danny closed his eyes trying to think. "Sir, I know this isn't the best situation at all. However, I am willing to try to make the best of the situation for your daughter."

* * *

**Author's note: This will not be a fairy tale of a teen pregnancy and teen marriage. I will not fantasize that notion. However, teens look at life through rose colored glasses. Danny is no different. I am a high school teacher. I've seen marriages happen at very young age due to pregnancy as well as seen single mothers choose not to marry. Marriage doesn't solve anything but some teens think it does.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27: What Just Happened?**

Karen and Lacey worked on getting the house back in order after the party. Judy asked Lacey if she would like to stay at the hotel with them. Lacey told her to allow Clara to stay here if Karen didn't mind. Clara begged to stay with her dad instead. Therefore, Judy was left with Randall at a hotel room while Clara stayed with her father in his hotel room. The house that Lacey called home had already been rented out to a newly wed couple.

Karen excused herself to allow Lacey to finish loading dishes in the dishwasher. Danny was busy building a fire in the fireplace. He stared up at his mother when she approached him.

"Danny, can we talk?" Karen sat down on the older sofa in the den. They rarely used this room of the house. But it was nice to see Danny building a fire in it to ward off the sudden chill in the weather.

"Sure." Danny stood up after poking the fire once more. "What's up?"

"Samuel came to me about what you two spoke about." Karen smiled weakly. "I know you've put a lot of thought into this. Samuel was even impressed. But you will not be allowed to marry even if we were to agree and sign papers. You're still on probation until your eighteen. Part of your probation is having adult supervision. They will never let you marry so you can be able to have your own guardianship."

Danny rubbed his neck as he slumped his shoulders. "I just want Lacey to know I'm there for the long haul, Mom."

"I know. But you're both so young. No one knows the future. Why don't you tell her you want a future with her but not ask yet? Do some type promise ring or whatever. Not an actual engagement." Karen took in a deep breath. "Lacey has enough stressful situations with the twins. Just be there for her. Let her know your intentions. Even show her the file that Samuel was impressed with. I guess if you feel a marriage proposal is what you want, you can make it a long engagement." Karen's lips went into a tight smile. "I don't want either of you thinking marriage will solve this issue. It may add more to the situation. Lacey is living here now. See how that goes first. Okay?"

Danny nodded in understanding. "All I want is for Lacey to be happy."

"You deserve happiness too, Danny." Karen pushed a stray strand of hair behind Danny's ear.

"Lacey being happy will make me happy." Danny informed his mother.

Karen chuckled as she patted Danny's back. "I'm going to tell Lacey to rest in here with you. Most of the party is cleaned up. The rest will wait until tomorrow. I'm heading to bed early."

Danny smiled as his mother walked out of the room. Soon Lacey and Danny were seated near the fire. Lacey had her head leaning on Danny's shoulder as Danny had his arm wrapped tightly around her. There were cushions and pillows strewn under them and around them. Lacey made small circles with her fingers on Danny's chest.

Lacey snuggled against Danny trying to get comfortable. She moaned in dismay when she couldn't get her body to relax. She wasn't very far along as of yet but carrying twins made a four and half month pregnancy look rather large. She sighed out in frustration.

"What's wrong, Lace?" Danny began to notice Lacey's agitation.

"I can't get comfortable." Lacey admitted as she groaned in displeasure. "I'm huge."

"You're not that big." Danny pulled Lacey to sit between his legs. "Here let me message your shoulders."

Danny began kneading the flesh on Lacey's shoulders. He was the one moaning this time only his moans were due to the thoughts that were beginning to form in his head about what other parts of Lacey's body he longed to touch.

"You're so beautiful, Lace." Danny leaned over and whispered seductively in Lacey's ear. He nuzzled his nose into her neck as he took a whiff of her hair. Inside the pocket of his jeans, he had tucked away a ring that his grandmother on his mother's side had given him when he was very young. She had told him that his grandfather had given it to her. Danny planned on asking Lacey's hand in marriage no matter what the adults thought.

"Thanks. I feel like a barge." Lacey wiggled her toes as she stared down at her feet. "My whole body hurts especially my feet."

Danny had heard Lacey's complaining but chose to try to get her mind off of her aching body. He wanted her to feel as beautiful as she was when he proposed. He nibbled her neck causing an immediate response from her. She threw back her head allowing Danny access to the skin of her neck. Danny continued to nibble at Lacey's neck heading up to her ear. He licked the outer shell of her ear before sucking in her earlobe. It seemed like his plan was working. Lacey was now running her fingers lazily through Danny's hair as he tasted of the skin of her neck and ear.

"I missed you so much." Danny groaned as he moved his kisses back down the column of Lacey's neck. He then allowed his mouth to travel up her chin. His mouth wasted no time in connecting with Lacey's mouth.

The urgency and wanton desire was palpable in the kiss that the teens shared. Both enjoyed tasting of each other's sweetness once again. Danny was the one to make the first move beyond kissing. He pulled Lacey down to lie on the pillows spread out in front of the fire. Danny pulled off his shirt swiftly before moving his attention back to the girl he loved. Lacey stared up at Danny as he pushed his body up to hover over hers. His hair had grown longer than before he went to prison. It flanked his shoulders caressing his brown skin. Lacey bit her lip at the pure beauty that Danny possessed. _Men are not supposed to be this beautiful_. That is all Lacey could think.

Danny stared down at the girl beneath him. He studied her beauty as he took in the very essence of her. His mind swirled with how blessed he was to have this girl in his life. He loved her with every fiber of his being. He wanted to pull the ring out and ask her then and there. However, he wanted it to be perfect timing. He thought perhaps a little more foreplay before surprising her by getting to one knee.

Danny slowly placed his index finger on Lacey's swollen lips. He could tell they still throbbed from the earlier aggressive kiss they had shared. He traced her plump lips. He took in every centimeter of flesh of her lips. Lacey jutted out the tip of her tongue moistening his finger tip.

Danny smiled suggestively as he leaned to capture Lacey's lips in another kissing excursion. He made sure his body lay beside of her so not to put pressure on her pregnant abdomen. Lacey moved her hand over Danny's taut stomach. She couldn't help to notice his body had changed ever so slightly due to his prison stay. He had toned up and put on a little more muscle. Yet, his body was still slim and sleek. She traced her finger down the center of Danny's stomach to below his below button. She felt her mouth water when she touched the patch of hair that led to below his the edge of his jeans. _Mmmm. Perfection._ Lacey allowed her thoughts to enjoy Danny. Every thing about Danny appealed to Lacey. Lacey had no idea that he felt the exact same about her.

Danny slid his hands behind Lacey's thighs. His hands traveled down her upper thighs to her calf muscles. Then his hands trailed down to her ankles. He had planned on pulling her down swiftly before getting on one knee. That way Lacey would be reclining in the sea of pillows that Danny had laid out for her. However, Danny couldn't help but notice how swollen her ankles were. He leaned back up to stare at her feet. Guilt riddled him as he thought of his girlfriend standing on swollen feet all day planning his party as well as being a perfect hostess for him. He sighed out as he took her ankles in his hands. He sat up to be at the bottom of Lacey's feet. How selfish he was being about wanting to be with her sexually when she was in pain.

"I can massage your feet." Danny peered up at Lacey with a caring look.

"What?" Lacey leaned up on her elbows to stare down at her boyfriend.

"I can massage your feet. They're swollen." Danny gave a quirky smile. "I can massage them."

Lacey kicked away from Danny. "I knew it! YOU THINK I'M FAT!"

She pushed up off the pillows with a huff.

"What?" Danny stared up at Lacey, who had somehow managed to be standing with her hands on her hips. "No, Baby. I ..."

"I know what you meant! You think I'm fat!" Lacey screamed as she pointed her finger at Danny. "Maybe I'm not fat but you're too skinny!" Lacey yelled at him. Then she burst into tears. Danny was quick to get up so that he could comfort her.

"No...Lacey!" Danny managed to get his arms around Lacey. He rubbed down her back as he comforted her. "You're perfect. I'm sorry I'm too skinny."

She pushed from his embrace before adding in harsh sobs. "DON'T TRY TO PATRONIZE ME, DANNY DESAI! You're not too skinny. You're so perfect." Lacey whaled as she shoved at Danny. "You're perfect and you're girlfriend is fat!" Lacey was hysterical at this point. She smacked both of her palms against Danny's chest with a thud.

This caused Danny to lose his balance and fall backwards onto the pillows. Lacey's eyes widened as she stared at Danny sprawled on the pillows.

"Look at me! I'm such a huge whale that I hurt my boyfriend!" Lacey placed her hand over her eyes as she cried.

"You...I.." Danny was afraid to even speak. He had no idea what in the world was wrong with his usually level headed girlfriend.

"You know what! It isn't my fault that you're a wimp." Lacey was once again angry at Danny for no reason that he could figure out.

It was Karen's entrance in the room that really caused Danny to jerk around almost causing himself whiplash.

"Hey, Lacey, darling. I made your favorite ...white cheddar popcorn." Karen held out a large bowl of popcorn towards Lacey.

"Thanks, Mrs. Desai." Lacey took the popcorn from Karen before plopping down beside Danny. "You want some?" She asked sweetly before stuffing her mouth with the popped kernels. It seemed her tears magically disappeared as quickly as they came.

Karen leaned over placing two cold sodas on the coffee table. Danny stared up at Karen in confusion. Lacey seemed perfectly happy as she chomped away at the popcorn. She had even placed her head on Danny's shoulder again.

Karen winked at Danny before leaving the teens alone again. Danny swallowed as he slowly place his arm around Lacey's shoulder.

"This is nice." Lacey snuggled against Danny. "I love a warm fire. Thanks for building it for me, Sweetie."

Danny didn't dare answer her in fear for his life. He continued to hold her against him as they both stared at he ambers in the fire. All he could do was think to himself. _"What just happened?"_


End file.
